organization
Americannoun
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organizations
plural
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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
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antiorganizationnoun
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misorganizationnoun
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nonorganizationnoun
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preorganizationnoun
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suborganizationnoun
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superorganizationnoun
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underorganizationnoun
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organizationaladjective
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organizationallyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
See Examples For:
Jason Lemkin, founder of a SaaS organization called SaaStr, said the industry has bifurcated into companies that have embraced AI and are growing and others who haven’t and are struggling.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
In 2025, the organization announced that the Oscars will introduce a new category at the 2028 ceremony for achievement in stunt design.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
By moving or functioning in groups, sperm may gain advantages in mobility, organization or overall performance.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026
“As a result, over the course of the decades she served the organization, her vacation pay accrued substantially.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
She’d been in a mood for weeks, and now my new utensil organization system had pushed her grouchiness into a full-out fluster.
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
The Times spoke with two CEOs who run similar organizations in the L.A. area.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
This content does not necessarily reflect the views of these parties and organizations.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026
Florida public services would suffer if property taxes were reduced, according to an array of organizations.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
Of people and organizations that authored their own submissions, at least four out of five opposed the rescission of the rules, a Risk Journal analysis showed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
Have you ever wondered why so many mediocre people find their way into positions of authority in companies and organizations?
From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell
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.
