3. Instrumental; acting as instruments of nature or of art to a certain
destined function or end. [R.]
Those organic arts which enable men to discourse and write
perspicuously.
Milton.
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.
5. Pertaining to, or denoting, any one of the large series of
substances which, in nature or origin, are connected with vital
processes, and include many substances of artificial production which
may or may not occur in animals or plants; -- contrasted with
inorganic.
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.
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.) 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 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.
Or*gan"ic*al (?), a. Organic.
The organical structure of human bodies, whereby they live and
move.
Bentley.
Or*gan"ic*al*ly, adv. In an organic manner; by means of organs or with
reference to organic functions; hence, fundamentally. Gladstone.
Or*gan"ic*al*ness, n. The quality or state of being organic.
Or*gan"i*cism (?), n. (Med.) The doctrine of the localization of
disease, or which refers it always to a material lesion of an organ.
Dunglison.
Or`gan*if"ic (?), a. [Organ + L. -ficare (in comp.) to make. See fy.]
Making an organic or organized structure; producing an organism; acting
through, or resulting from, organs. Prof. Park.