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English Dictionary: organ by the DICT Development Group
4 results for organ
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
organ
n
  1. a fully differentiated structural and functional unit in an animal that is specialized for some particular function
  2. a government agency or instrument devoted to the performance of some specific function; "The Census Bureau is an organ of the Commerce Department"
  3. (music) an electronic simulation of a pipe organ
    Synonym(s): electric organ, electronic organ, Hammond organ, organ
  4. a periodical that is published by a special interest group; "the organ of the communist party"
  5. wind instrument whose sound is produced by means of pipes arranged in sets supplied with air from a bellows and controlled from a large complex musical keyboard
    Synonym(s): organ, pipe organ
  6. a free-reed instrument in which air is forced through the reeds by bellows
    Synonym(s): harmonium, organ, reed organ
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
   Organ \Or"gan\, n. [L. organum, Gr. [?]; akin to [?] work, and
      E. work: cf. F. organe. See {Work}, and cf. {Orgue}, {Orgy}.]
      1. An instrument or medium by which some important action is
            performed, or an important end accomplished; as,
            legislatures, courts, armies, taxgatherers, etc., are
            organs of government.
  
      2. (Biol.) A natural part or structure in an animal or a
            plant, capable of performing some special action (termed
            its function), which is essential to the life or
            well-being of the whole; as, the heart, lungs, etc., are
            organs of animals; the root, stem, foliage, etc., are
            organs of plants.
  
      Note: In animals the organs are generally made up of several
               tissues, one of which usually predominates, and
               determines the principal function of the organ. Groups
               of organs constitute a system. See {System}.
  
      3. A component part performing an essential office in the
            working of any complex machine; as, the cylinder, valves,
            crank, etc., are organs of the steam engine.
  
      4. A medium of communication between one person or body and
            another; as, the secretary of state is the organ of
            communication between the government and a foreign power;
            a newspaper is the organ of its editor, or of a party,
            sect, etc.
  
      5. [Cf. AS. organ, fr. L. organum.] (Mus.) A wind instrument
            containing numerous pipes of various dimensions and kinds,
            which are filled with wind from a bellows, and played upon
            by means of keys similar to those of a piano, and
            sometimes by foot keys or pedals; -- formerly used in the
            plural, each pipe being considired an organ.
  
                     The deep, majestic, solemn organs blow. --Pope.
  
      Note: Chaucer used the form orgon as a plural.
  
                        The merry orgon . . . that in the church goon
                        [go].
  
      {Barrel organ}, {Choir organ}, {Great organ}, etc. See under
            {Barrel}, {Choir}, etc.
  
      {Cabinet organ} (Mus.), an organ of small size, as for a
            chapel or for domestic use; a reed organ.
  
      {Organ bird} (Zo[94]l.), a Tasmanian crow shrike ({Gymnorhina
            organicum}). It utters discordant notes like those of a
            hand organ out of tune.
  
      {Organ fish} (Zo[94]l.), the drumfish.
  
      {Organ gun}. (Mil.) Same as {Orgue}
            (b) .
  
      {Organ harmonium} (Mus.), an harmonium of large capacity and
            power.
  
      {Organ of Gorti} (Anat.), a complicated structure in the
            cochlea of the ear, including the auditory hair cells, the
            rods or fibers of Corti, the membrane of Corti, etc. See
            Note under {Ear}.
  
      {Organ pipe}. See {Pipe}, n., 1.
  
      {Organ-pipe coral}. (Zo[94]l.) See {Tubipora}.
  
      {Organ point} (Mus.), a passage in which the tonic or
            dominant is sustained continuously by one part, while the
            other parts move.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
   Organ \Or"gan\, v. t.
      To supply with an organ or organs; to fit with organs; to
      organize. [Obs.]
  
               Thou art elemented and organed for other apprehensions.
                                                                              --Bp.
                                                                              Mannyngham.

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:
   Organ
      some kind of wind instrument, probably a kind of Pan's pipes
      (Gen. 4:21; Job 21:12; Ps. 150:4), which consisted of seven or
      eight reeds of unequal length.
     
No guarantee of accuracy or completeness!
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