organ

American  

[awr-guhn] / ˈɔr gən /

noun

• organs
  plural

1. Also called pipe organ.  a musical instrument consisting of one or more sets of pipes sounded by means of compressed air, played by means of one or more keyboards, and capable of producing a wide range of musical effects.

2. any of various similar instruments, as a reed organ or an electronic organ.

3. a barrel organ or hand organ.

4. Biology. a grouping of tissues into a distinct structure, as a heart or kidney in animals or a leaf or stamen in plants, that performs a specialized task.

5. penis

6. a newspaper, magazine, or other means of communicating information, thoughts, or opinions, especially in behalf of some organization, political group, or the like.

   Synonyms:

   channel, instrument, journal, publication

7. an instrument or means, as of action or performance.

   This committee will be the chief organ of administration.

8. Archaic. any of various musical instruments, especially wind, instruments.

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organ British  

/ ˈɔːɡən /

noun

1. 1. Also called: pipe organ.  a large complex musical keyboard instrument in which sound is produced by means of a number of pipes arranged in sets or stops, supplied with air from a bellows. The largest instruments possess three or more manuals and one pedal keyboard and have the greatest range of any instrument

   2. ( as modifier )

      organ pipe

      organ stop

      organ loft

2. any instrument, such as a harmonium, in which sound is produced in this way See also reed organ harmonica

3. short for electric organ electronic organ

4. a fully differentiated structural and functional unit, such as a kidney or a root, in an animal or plant

5. an agency or medium of communication, esp a periodical issued by a specialist group or party

6. an instrument with which something is done or accomplished

7. a euphemistic word for penis

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organ Scientific  

/ ôr′gən /

1. A distinct part of an organism that performs one or more specialized functions. Examples of organs are the eyes, ears, lungs, and heart of an animal, and the roots, stems, and leaves of a plant.

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organ Cultural  

1. Part of a living thing, distinct from the other parts, that is adapted for a specific function. Organs are made up of tissues and are grouped into systems, such as the digestive system.

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Discover More

The brain, liver, and skin are organs.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interorgan
  adjective
• multiorgan
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• organs
  plural

Etymology

Origin of organ

before 1000; Middle English: musical instrument, pipe organ, organ of the body, tool (< Medieval Latin, Latin organum mechanical device, instrument) < Greek órganon implement, tool, bodily organ, musical instrument, akin to érgon work

Explanation

An organ is a part of your body that performs a specific function: like your brain, lungs, or skin. You might not use the word organ often, but you use organs every second; imagine getting through a day without your heart, lungs, or brain. Some people choose to be organ donors — meaning that, after their deaths, they donate their organs to people in need of organ transplants. An organ may also serve a specific function for an institution: a periodical like a newsletter can be an organ of an organization. An organ is also the wind instrument — sometimes called a pipe organ — often played in church.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

organ organs

His mother, Suzanne Sheik, told the New York Times that her son died of organ failure.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

"Runner," an action comedy led by Alan Ritchson and Owen Wilson, debuted in fourth place, with the heroes fighting a cartel to get a sick young girl a lifesaving organ transplant.

From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026

The embryo grows until it causes the organ to rupture, triggering catastrophic bleeding.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026

For others, they could temporarily supplement liver function while the patient waits for a donor organ.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 7, 2026

A mesh of webs covered bushes and porches, and crackly voices and organ music came from flower beds.

From "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett

Experiments in zebrafish, along with detailed studies of cilia in other tissues, suggested that the same cellular mechanism may contribute to the development of several organs.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026

They traveled into the tumors, expanded where they were needed, and remained active for weeks while mostly avoiding healthy organs.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 11, 2026

That leaves a major gap between the number of patients who could benefit from a new heart and the number of donor organs available.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 11, 2026

Zhavoronkov said rentosertib has shown promising results in improving lung function and biological age, with the latter effect observable in the brain and other organs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026

The mechanism by which genes specify macroscopic anatomical features—limbs, organs, and structures—was the first to be deciphered.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Related Words

• agency
• forum
• instrument
• member
• ministry
• mouthpiece
• structure
• unit