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:
Although it can be difficult to define or measure precisely, the organization and movement of slow brain waves may provide important indicators of how effectively the brain performs its nighttime memory functions.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026
Lewis is a member of a grassroots organization called Ottawa United, and ran for Congress this cycle as a Democrat, though he lost on Tuesday to the incumbent Republican.
From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026
Peddling optimism isn’t the job of any journalistic organization, of course.
From Salon ● Nov. 4, 2026
According to a survey of employers by KFF, a health research and news organization, average premiums rose 5% this year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026
Despite those regulations, in February 1940 the British ATA became the first organization in the world to officially allow women to fly aircraft in wartime.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
The effort involved 20 professional organizations, 18 international experts, including representatives from regulatory agencies, and two patient advocacy organizations.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026
Nonprofit election protection organizations mobilized civic, business, and religious leaders to bolster support for threatened election officials.
From Slate ● Nov. 4, 2026
Elsewhere, firms are experimenting with management services organizations, which bring in outside capital without granting an ownership stake.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026
Proposition 38 is backed by organizations including the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and the ALS Assn., as well as a majority of local chapters of Democratic organizations across the state.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
It seemed that Bobby had lapsed over the years into a state of increasingly frequent paranoia, believing as he did that people and organizations, bonded in a conspiracy, were out to persecute him.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
