From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Organic \Or*gan"ic\ ([^o]r*g[a^]n"[i^]k), a. [L. organicus, Gr.
'organiko`s: cf. F. organique.]
1. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to an organ or its functions, or
to objects composed of organs; consisting of organs, or
containing them; as, the organic structure of animals and
plants; exhibiting characters peculiar to living
organisms; as, organic bodies, organic life, organic
remains. Cf. {Inorganic}.
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2. Produced by the organs; as, organic pleasure. [R.]
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3. Instrumental; acting as instruments of nature or of art to
a certain destined function or end. [R.]
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Those organic arts which enable men to discourse and
write perspicuously. --Milton.
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4. Forming a whole composed of organs. Hence: Of or
pertaining to a system of organs; inherent in, or
resulting from, a certain organization; as, an organic
government; his love of truth was not inculcated, but
organic.
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5. (Chem.) Of or pertaining to compounds which are
derivatives of hydrocarbons; pertaining to, or denoting,
any one of a large series of carbon-containing compounds
which are related to the carbon compounds produced by
biological processes (such as methane, oils, fats, sugars,
alcohols, ethers, proteins, etc.) and include many
substances of artificial production which may or may not
occur in animals or plants; -- contrasted with
{inorganic}.
Note: Borderline cases exist which may be classified as
either organic or inorganic, such as carbon
terachloride (which may be viewed as a derivative of
methane), but in general a compound must have a carbon
with a hydrogen atom or another carbon atom attached to
it to be viewed as truly organic, i.e. included in the
subject matter of organic chemistry.
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Note: The principles of organic and inorganic chemistry are
identical; but the enormous number and the completeness
of related series of organic compounds, together with
their remarkable facility of exchange and substitution,
offer an illustration of chemical reaction and homology
not to be paralleled in inorganic chemistry.
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{Organic analysis} (Chem.), the analysis of organic
compounds, concerned chiefly with the determination of
carbon as carbon dioxide, hydrogen as water, oxygen as the
difference between the sum of the others and 100 per cent,
and nitrogen as free nitrogen, ammonia, or nitric oxide;
-- formerly called ultimate analysis, in distinction from
proximate analysis.
{Organic chemistry}. See under {Chemistry}.
{Organic compounds}. (Chem.) Chemical substances which are
organic[5]. See {Carbon compounds}, under {Carbon}.
{Organic description of a curve} (Geom.), the description of
a curve on a plane by means of instruments. --Brande & C.
{Organic disease} (Med.), a disease attended with morbid
changes in the structure of the organs of the body or in
the composition of its fluids; -- opposed to {functional
disease}.
{Organic electricity}. See under {Electricity}.
{Organic law} or {Organic laws}, a law or system of laws, or
declaration of principles fundamental to the existence and
organization of a political or other association; a
constitution.
{Organic stricture} (Med.), a contraction of one of the
natural passages of the body produced by structural
changes in its walls, as distinguished from a {spasmodic
stricture}, which is due to muscular contraction.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Chemistry \Chem"is*try\ (k[e^]m"[i^]s*tr[y^]; 277), n. [From
{Chemist}. See {Alchemy}.]
1. That branch of science which treats of the composition of
substances, and of the changes which they undergo in
consequence of alterations in the constitution of the
molecules, which depend upon variations of the number,
kind, or mode of arrangement, of the constituent atoms.
These atoms are not assumed to be indivisible, but merely
the finest grade of subdivision hitherto attained.
Chemistry deals with the changes in the composition and
constitution of molecules. See {Atom}, {Molecule}.
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Note: Historically, chemistry is an outgrowth of alchemy (or
alchemistry), with which it was anciently identified.
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2. An application of chemical theory and method to the
consideration of some particular subject; as, the
chemistry of iron; the chemistry of indigo.
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3. A treatise on chemistry.
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Note: This word and its derivatives were formerly written
with y, and sometimes with i, instead of e, in the
first syllable, chymistry, chymist, chymical, etc., or
chimistry, chimist, chimical, etc.; and the
pronunciation was conformed to the orthography.
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{Inorganic chemistry}, that which treats of inorganic or
mineral substances.
{Organic chemistry}, that which treats of the substances
which form the structure of organized beings and their
products, whether animal or vegetable; -- called also
{chemistry of the carbon compounds}. There is no
fundamental difference between organic and inorganic
chemistry.
{Physiological chemistry}, the chemistry of the organs and
tissues of the body, and of the various physiological
processes incident to life.
{Practical chemistry}, or {Applied chemistry}, that which
treats of the modes of manufacturing the products of
chemistry that are useful in the arts, of their
applications to economical purposes, and of the conditions
essential to their best use.
{Pure chemistry}, the consideration of the facts and theories
of chemistry in their purely scientific relations, without
necessary reference to their practical applications or
mere utility.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
organic chemistry
n 1: the chemistry of compounds containing carbon (originally
defined as the chemistry of substances produced by living
organisms but now extended to substances synthesized
artificially)
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