inorganic
not having the structure or organization characteristic of living bodies.
not characterized by vital processes.
Chemistry. noting or pertaining to compounds that are not hydrocarbons or their derivatives.: Compare organic (def. 1).
not fundamental or related; extraneous.
Origin of inorganic
1Other words from inorganic
- in·or·gan·i·cal·ly, adverb
Words Nearby inorganic
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use inorganic in a sentence
“We will utilise the IPO proceedings for funding organic and inorganic growth initiatives, and for general corporate purposes,” Zomato’s chief financial officer Akshant Goyal said.
Minerals are “considered to be naturally occurring, inorganic solid substances,” Rossman explains.
How minerals and rocks reflect rainbows, glow in the dark, and otherwise blow your mind | Lauren Leffer | June 28, 2021 | Popular-ScienceBlame is usually attributed to particulate matter — organic and inorganic particles suspended in the air, including pollen, ash and pollutants.
Wildfires launch microbes into the air. How big of a health risk is that? | Megan Sever | April 13, 2021 | Science NewsThe FDA has set the maximum allowable levels in bottled water at 10 ppb of inorganic arsenic.
FDA to urge limits on heavy metals in baby foods, starting with arsenic and lead | Laura Reiley | April 12, 2021 | Washington PostIt may be only a few more centuries before humans are overtaken or transcended by inorganic intelligence, which will then persist, continuing to evolve on a faster-than-Darwinian timescale for billions of years.
If Aliens Exist, Here’s How We’ll Find Them - Issue 97: Wonder | Martin Rees & Mario Livio | February 24, 2021 | Nautilus
Table showing the quantity of inorganic matters in 100 parts of different plants dried at 212°.
Elements of Agricultural Chemistry | Thomas AndersonThese actions, operating through a long series of years, are the source of the inorganic constituents of all soils.
Elements of Agricultural Chemistry | Thomas AndersonWhile the constants of a large number of organic bases194 have been determined few constants of inorganic bases are as yet known.
The Elements of Qualitative Chemical Analysis, vol. 1, parts 1 and 2. | Julius StieglitzSuch is not always the case, for some bacteria seem to be able to build up protein out of simple inorganic nitrogenous substances.
A Civic Biology | George William HunterMineral matters are inorganic, being chlorides, carbonates or phosphates of calcium, sodium and potassium.
The Home of the Blizzard | Douglas Mawson
British Dictionary definitions for inorganic
/ (ˌɪnɔːˈɡænɪk) /
not having the structure or characteristics of living organisms; not organic
relating to or denoting chemical compounds that do not contain carbon: Compare organic (def. 4)
not having a system, structure, or ordered relation of parts; amorphous
not resulting from or produced by growth; artificial
linguistics denoting or relating to a sound or letter introduced into the pronunciation or spelling of a word at some point in its history
Derived forms of inorganic
- inorganically, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for inorganic
[ ĭn′ôr-găn′ĭk ]
Not involving organisms or the products of their life processes.
Relating to chemical compounds that occur mainly outside of living or once living organisms, such as those in rocks, minerals, and ceramics. Most inorganic compounds lack carbon, such as salt (NaCl) and ammonia (NH3); a few, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), do contain it, but never attached to hydrogen atoms as in hydrocarbons. Inorganic molecules tend to have a relatively small number of atoms as compared with organic molecules.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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