From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Organic \Or*gan"ic\ ([^o]r*g[a^]n"[i^]k), a. [L. organicus, Gr.
'organiko`s: cf. F. organique.]
1. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to an organ or its functions, or
to objects composed of organs; consisting of organs, or
containing them; as, the organic structure of animals and
plants; exhibiting characters peculiar to living
organisms; as, organic bodies, organic life, organic
remains. Cf. {Inorganic}.
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2. Produced by the organs; as, organic pleasure. [R.]
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3. Instrumental; acting as instruments of nature or of art to
a certain destined function or end. [R.]
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Those organic arts which enable men to discourse and
write perspicuously. --Milton.
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4. Forming a whole composed of organs. Hence: Of or
pertaining to a system of organs; inherent in, or
resulting from, a certain organization; as, an organic
government; his love of truth was not inculcated, but
organic.
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5. (Chem.) Of or pertaining to compounds which are
derivatives of hydrocarbons; pertaining to, or denoting,
any one of a large series of carbon-containing compounds
which are related to the carbon compounds produced by
biological processes (such as methane, oils, fats, sugars,
alcohols, ethers, proteins, etc.) and include many
substances of artificial production which may or may not
occur in animals or plants; -- contrasted with
{inorganic}.
Note: Borderline cases exist which may be classified as
either organic or inorganic, such as carbon
terachloride (which may be viewed as a derivative of
methane), but in general a compound must have a carbon
with a hydrogen atom or another carbon atom attached to
it to be viewed as truly organic, i.e. included in the
subject matter of organic chemistry.
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Note: The principles of organic and inorganic chemistry are
identical; but the enormous number and the completeness
of related series of organic compounds, together with
their remarkable facility of exchange and substitution,
offer an illustration of chemical reaction and homology
not to be paralleled in inorganic chemistry.
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{Organic analysis} (Chem.), the analysis of organic
compounds, concerned chiefly with the determination of
carbon as carbon dioxide, hydrogen as water, oxygen as the
difference between the sum of the others and 100 per cent,
and nitrogen as free nitrogen, ammonia, or nitric oxide;
-- formerly called ultimate analysis, in distinction from
proximate analysis.
{Organic chemistry}. See under {Chemistry}.
{Organic compounds}. (Chem.) Chemical substances which are
organic[5]. See {Carbon compounds}, under {Carbon}.
{Organic description of a curve} (Geom.), the description of
a curve on a plane by means of instruments. --Brande & C.
{Organic disease} (Med.), a disease attended with morbid
changes in the structure of the organs of the body or in
the composition of its fluids; -- opposed to {functional
disease}.
{Organic electricity}. See under {Electricity}.
{Organic law} or {Organic laws}, a law or system of laws, or
declaration of principles fundamental to the existence and
organization of a political or other association; a
constitution.
{Organic stricture} (Med.), a contraction of one of the
natural passages of the body produced by structural
changes in its walls, as distinguished from a {spasmodic
stricture}, which is due to muscular contraction.
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