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. [1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]
" 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." [1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]
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. A newsletter distributed within an organization is often called its house organ. [1913 Webster]
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 considered an organ. [1913 Webster]
"The deep, majestic, solemn organs blow." [1913 Webster]

"The merry orgon . . . that in the church goon [go]." [1913 Webster]

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 (Zoöl.), a Tasmanian crow shrike (Gymnorhina organicum). It utters discordant notes like those of a hand organ out of tune. -- Organ fish (Zoöl.), the drumfish. -- Organ gun. (Mil.) Same as Orgue (b). -- Organ harmonium (Mus.), an harmonium of large capacity and power. -- Organ of Corti (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. (Zoöl.) See Tubipora. -- Organ point (Mus.), a passage in which the tonic or dominant is sustained continuously by one part, while the other parts move.

Organ, v. t.

To supply with an organ or organs; to fit with organs; to organize. [1913 Webster]

"Thou art elemented and organed for other apprehensions." [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

Organ, n.
1 a a usu. large musical instrument having pipes supplied with air from bellows, sounded by keys, and distributed into sets or stops which form partial organs, each with a separate keyboard (choir organ; pedal organ). b a smaller instrument without pipes, producing similar sounds electronically. c a smaller keyboard wind instrument with metal reeds; a harmonium. d = barrel-organ.
2 a a usu. self-contained part of an organism having a special vital function (vocal organs; digestive organs). b esp. joc. the penis.
3 a medium of communication, esp. a newspaper, sectarian periodical, etc.
4 archaic a professionally trained singing voice.
5 Phrenol. archaic a region of the brain held to be the seat of a particular faculty.

Idiom

organ-blower a person or mechanism working the bellows of an organ. organ-grinder the player of a barrel-organ. organ-loft a gallery in a church or concert-room for an organ. organ of Corti see CORTI. organ-pipe any of the pipes on an organ. organ-screen an ornamental screen usu. between the choir and the nave of a church, cathedral, etc., on which the organ is placed. organ-stop
1 a set of pipes of a similar tone in an organ.
2 the handle of the mechanism that brings it into action.

Etymology

ME f. OE organa & OF organe, f. L organum f. Gk organon tool

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THESAURUS

Organ

Charlie McCarthy, Hammond organ, affiliate, agency, agent, ancilla, annual, appendage, appliance, arm, baroque organ, bimonthly, biweekly, bough, branch, branch office, calliope, calliophone, channel, chapter, choralcelo, component, contrivance, creature, daily, daybook, device, diary, division, dummy, dupe, electric organ, electro-pneumatic organ, element, ephemeris, fortnightly, forum, gazette, go-between, hand, handmaid, handmaiden, harmonium, hebdomadal, hydraulic organ, imp, implement, instrument, instrumentality, instrumentation, interagent, intermediary, intermediate, intermedium, joint, journal, leg, lever, limb, link, lobe, lobule, local, lodge, magazine, mean, mechanism, mediator, medium, melodeon, melodica, member, midwife, minion, ministry, monthly, mouthpiece, newsletter, newsmagazine, newspaper, offshoot, orchestrelle, organophone, paper, part, pawn, periodical, pictorial, pinion, pipe organ, plaything, post, process, publication, puppet, quarterly, ramification, reed organ, review, runner, scion, seraphine, serial, servant, slave, slick magazine, spray, sprig, spur, steam organ, stooge, structure, switch, symphonion, tail, tendril, tool, toy, tracker-action organ, trade magazine, tubular-pneumatic organ, twig, unit, vehicle, vocalion, voice, weekly, wing, yearbook

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ROGET THESAURUS

Organ

Voice

N voice, vocality, organ, lungs, bellows, good voice, fine voice, powerful voice, musical voice, intonation, tone of voice, vocalization, cry, strain, utterance, prolation, exclamation, ejaculation, vociferation, ecphonesis, enunciation, articulation, articulate sound, distinctness, clearness, of articulation, stage whisper, delivery, accent, accentuation, emphasis, stress, broad accent, strong accent, pure accent, native accent, foreign accent, pronunciation, homonym, orthoepy, cacoepy, euphony, gastriloquism, ventriloquism, ventriloquist, polyphonism, polyphonist, phonology, vocal, phonetic, oral, ejaculatory, articulate, distinct, stertorous, euphonious, how sweetly sounds the voice of a good woman, the organ of the soul, thy voice is a celestial melody.

Instrument

N instrument, machinery, mechanism, engineering, instrument, organ, tool, implement, utensil, machine, engine, lathe, gin, mill, air engine, caloric engine, heat engine, gear, tackle, tackling, rig, rigging, apparatus, appliances, plant, materiel, harness, trappings, fittings, accouterments, barde, equipment, equipmentage, appointments, furniture, upholstery, chattels, paraphernalia, mechanical powers, lever, leverage, mechanical advantage, crow, crowbar, handspike, gavelock, jemmy, jimmy, arm, limb, wing, oar, paddle, pulley, wheel and axle, wheelwork, clockwork, wheels within wheels, pinion, crank, winch, cam, pedal, capstan, wheel, inclined plane, wedge, screw, spring, mainspring, can hook, glut, heald, heddle, jenny, parbuckle, sprag, water wheel, handle, hilt, haft, shaft, heft, shank, blade, trigger, tiller, helm, treadle, key, turnscrew, screwdriver, knocker, hammer, edge tool, borer, vice, teeth, nail, rope, peg, support, spoon, arms, oar, cardiograph, recapper, snowplow, tenpenny, votograph, instrumental, mechanical, machinal, brachial.

Musical Instruments

N musical instruments, band, string-band, brass-band, orchestra, orchestrina, monochord, polychord, harp, lyre, lute, archlute, mandola, mandolin, mandoline, guitar, zither, cither, cithern, gittern, rebeck, bandurria, bandura, banjo, bina, vina, xanorphica, viol, violin, fiddle, kit, viola, viola d'amore, viola di gamba, tenor, cremona, violoncello, bass, bass viol, base viol, theorbo, double base, contrabasso, violone, psaltery, bow, fiddlestick, piano, pianoforte, harpsichord, clavichord, clarichord, manichord, clavier, spinet, virginals, dulcimer, hurdy-gurdy, vielle, pianino, Eolian harp, organ, harmonium, harmoniphon, American organ, barrel organ, hand organ, accordion, seraphina, concertina, humming top, flute, fife, piccolo, flageolet, clarinet, claronet, basset horn, corno di bassetto, oboe, hautboy, cor Anglais, corno Inglese, bassoon, double bassoon, contrafagotto, serpent, bass clarinet, bagpipes, union pipes, musette, ocarina, Pandean pipes, reed instrument, sirene, pipe, pitch-pipe, sourdet, whistle, catcall, doodlesack, harmoniphone, horn, bugle, cornet, cornet-a-pistons, cornopean, clarion, trumpet, trombone, ophicleide, French horn, saxophone, sax, buglehorn, saxhorn, flugelhorn, althorn, helicanhorn, posthorn, sackbut, euphonium, bombardon tuba, cymbal, bell, gong, tambour, tambourine, tamborine, drum, tom-tom, tabor, tabret, tabourine, taborin, side drum, kettle drum, timpani, tympani, tymbal, timbrel, castanet, bones, musical glasses, musical stones, harmonica, sounding-board, rattle, tam-tam, zambomba, reed, tuning fork, triangle, Jew's harp, musical box, harmonicon, xylophone, sordine, sordet, sourdine, sourdet, mute, (iv) PERCEPTION OF SOUND.

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