organization
Americannoun
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the act or process of organizing.
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the state or manner of being organized.
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something that is organized.
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organic structure; composition.
The organization of this painting is quite remarkable.
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a group of persons organized for some end or work; association.
a nonprofit organization.
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the administrative personnel or apparatus of a business.
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the functionaries of a political party along with the offices, committees, etc., that they fill.
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an organism.
adjective
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of or relating to an organization.
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Informal. conforming entirely to the standards, rules, or demands of an organization, especially that of one's employer.
an organization mentality.
noun
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the act of organizing or the state of being organized
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an organized structure or whole
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a business or administrative concern united and constructed for a particular end
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a body of administrative officials, as of a political party, a government department, etc
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order or system; method
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of organization
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English organizacion, from Medieval Latin organizātiōn-, stem of organizātiō, equivalent to organizāt(us) “arranged” (past participle of organizāre “to contrive, arrange”; see organize) + -iō -ion
Explanation
An organization is a group of people who work together, like a neighborhood association, a charity, a union, or a corporation. You can use the word organization to refer to group or business, or to the act of forming or establishing something. It can also refer to a structure for classifying things or to a system of arrangement or order. When your English teacher tells you you need to work on the organization of your essay, she's using this last meaning. This word derives from an Old French verb meaning "to combine into an orderly whole."
Vocabulary lists containing organization
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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List 1
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Keystone Exams: English Composition Glossary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They’re the rare organization that is forward-thinking and fastidious enough, as general manager Les Snead said, to be “always threading the needle,” focused on the future in a few minutes and in a few years.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026
The organization has an $800,000 deficit after losing several key sponsors last year including Google and Home Depot, Modeste said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
Dray says his organization, called the Young People's Alliance, is bipartisan and signed the Axios letter to Trump.
From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026
Still, small businesses often follow the lead of larger companies, said Chris Spence, head of federal government relations at TIAA, a retirement-services organization.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 1, 2026
When children were formally admitted to the city organization, the god of the ceremony was Hephaestus.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
