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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Organ Definition, Usage & Key Distinctions (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：body part (organ)

organ 🔊

/ˈɔːrɡən/

A part of the body, like the heart or liver, that has a special job to keep you alive and healthy.

Organ diagram showing human heart, lungs, liver, and stomach anatomy

body part 🔊

➕

/ˈbɒdi pɑːt/

A distinct part of an organism, typically self-contained and performing a specific vital function.

📁 Category：Diet & Health 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'organum' and Greek 'organon', meaning tool or instrument.

💡 Mnemonic

Organize your organs and organizations. Both are essential parts of a larger system.

📖 Example

In biology class, we learned that the heart is the most important organ for pumping blood throughout the body. 🔊 In biology class, we learned that the heart is the most important body part for pumping blood throughout the body.

🔗 Collocations

vital organ – An organ essential to life, such as the heart or brain.

organ donation – The act of giving an organ to be transplanted into another person.

organ failure – The condition where an organ ceases to function properly.

🔄 Synonyms

viscera (n.) – The internal organs in the main cavities of the body, especially those in the abdomen.

gut (n. (informal)) – Refers to the stomach or intestines; often used in plural.

tissue (n.) – A group of similar cells that work together as a functional unit; a structural component of an organ.

🚫 Antonyms

inanimate object (n. phrase) – A non-living thing, the opposite of a living body part.

🌱 Derivatives

organic (adj.) – Relating to or derived from living matter; or relating to a bodily organ.

organism (n.) – An individual living system, such as a plant, animal, or bacterium, composed of organs or cells.

organist (n.) – A musician who plays the organ (a musical instrument, a different meaning of the word).

📖 Cultural Story

The word originates from Greek 'organon', meaning 'tool' or 'instrument'. It entered English via Latin. This original sense of a tool for a specific purpose evolved to mean both a body part (a 'tool' for life) and a part of an organization (a 'tool' for a function).

Meaning 2：institution (organ)

organ 🔊

/ˈɔːrɡən/

An official part of a large organization or government that has a specific job or responsibility.

Government organ meeting with diverse professionals in a conference room

institution 🔊

➕

/ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃən/

An organization or part of a government or other large institution that performs a specific function.

📁 Category：Countries & Government 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

The United Nations is an international organ that works to maintain peace and security around the world. 🔊 The United Nations is an international institution that works to maintain peace and security around the world.

🔗 Collocations

state organ – An official body or institution of a national government.

official organ – A publication or media outlet that is the official voice of an organization.

advisory organ – A body established to provide expert advice and recommendations.

🔄 Synonyms

agency (n.) – A government department or other organization providing a specific service.

body (n.) – A group of people with a common purpose or function, often within a larger structure.

branch (n.) – A division of a large organization or system.

🚫 Antonyms

individual (n.) – A single person, as opposed to a collective organization or body.

🌱 Derivatives

organizational (adj.) – Relating to the structure or planning of an organization.

organize (v.) – To arrange or structure into a systematic whole.

reorganize (v.) – To change the way an organization is structured or run.