Organism - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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SKIP TO CONTENT organism /ˌɔrgəˈnɪzəm/ /ɔgəˈnɪzəm/ IPA guide

Other forms: organisms

An organism is a living thing that can function on its own. That includes your pet guppy, the tree in your backyard, and — of course — you.

While the word organism typically indicates an actual living thing, you can also use organism to refer to anything that acts or functions like a living thing. For example, the social scene at a high school might be described as "a social organism" because it seems to have a mind of its own — like a living thing or even a vicious animal, depending on where one falls on the popularity scale.

Definitions of organism

noun a living thing that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function independently synonyms: being see moresee less types: show 616 types... hide 616 types... benthos organisms (plants and animals) that live at or near the bottom of a sea dwarf a plant or animal that is atypically small consumer, heterotroph an organism that depends on complex organic substances for nutrition parent an organism (plant or animal) from which younger ones are obtained individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul a human being animal, animate being, beast, brute, creature, fauna a living organism characterized by voluntary movement flora, plant, plant life (botany) a living organism lacking the power of locomotion native indigenous plants and animals recombinant a cell or organism in which genetic recombination has occurred conspecific an organism belonging to the same species as another organism carrier (genetics) an organism that possesses a recessive gene whose effect is masked by a dominant allele; the associated trait is not apparent but can be passed on to offspring denizen a plant or animal naturalized in a region amphidiploid (genetics) an organism or cell having a diploid set of chromosomes from each parent diploid (genetics) an organism or cell having the normal amount of DNA per cell; i.e., two sets of chromosomes or twice the haploid number haploid (genetics) an organism or cell having only one complete set of chromosomes heteroploid (genetics) an organism or cell having a chromosome number that is not an even multiple of the haploid chromosome number for that species polyploid (genetics) an organism or cell having more than twice the haploid number of chromosomes animalcule, animalculum microscopic organism such as an amoeba or paramecium micro-organism, microorganism any living thing that is too small to be seen with the naked eye aerobe an organism (especially a bacterium) that requires air or free oxygen for life anaerobe an organism (especially a bacterium) that does not require air or free oxygen to live cross, crossbreed, hybrid (genetics) an organism that is the offspring of genetically dissimilar parents or stock; especially offspring produced by breeding plants or animals of different varieties or breeds or species polymorph an organism that can assume more than one adult form as in the castes of ants or termites congenator, congener, congeneric, relative an animal or plant that bears a relationship to another (as related by common descent or by membership in the same genus) plankton the aggregate of small plant and animal organisms that float or drift in great numbers in fresh or salt water nekton the aggregate of actively swimming animals in a body of water ranging from microscopic organisms to whales parasite an animal or plant that lives in or on a host (another animal or plant); it obtains nourishment from the host without benefiting or killing the host host an animal or plant that nourishes and supports a parasite; it does not benefit and is often harmed by the association commensal either of two different animal or plant species living in close association but not interdependent myrmecophile an organism such as an insect that habitually shares the nest of a species of ant eucaryote, eukaryote an organism with cells characteristic of all life forms except primitive microorganisms such as bacteria; i.e. an organism with `good' or membrane-bound nuclei in its cells procaryote, prokaryote a unicellular organism having cells lacking membrane-bound nuclei; bacteria are the prime example but also included are blue-green algae and actinomycetes and mycoplasma zooid one of the distinct individuals forming a colonial animal such as a bryozoan or hydrozoan clon, clone a group of genetically identical cells or organisms derived from a single cell or individual by some kind of asexual reproduction atavist, throwback an organism that has the characteristics of a more primitive type of that organism individual a single organism mascot a person or animal that is adopted by a team or other group as a symbolic figure mutant, mutation, sport, variation (biology) an organism that has characteristics resulting from chromosomal alteration postdiluvian anything living after Noah's flood sitter an organism (person or animal) that sits stander an organism (person or animal) that stands utterer, vocaliser, vocalizer an organism that can utter vocal sounds fungus an organism of the kingdom Fungi lacking chlorophyll and feeding on organic matter; ranging from unicellular or multicellular organisms to spore-bearing syncytia nonvascular organism organisms without vascular tissue: e.g. algae, lichens, fungi, mosses relict an organism or species surviving as a remnant of an otherwise extinct flora or fauna in an environment much changed from that in which it originated saprophyte, saprophytic organism an organism that feeds on dead organic matter especially a fungus or bacterium saprobe an organism that lives in and derives its nourishment from organic matter in stagnant or foul water katharobe an organism that lives in an oxygenated medium lacking organic matter pest any unwanted and destructive insect or other animal that attacks food or crops or livestock etc. critter a regional term for `creature' (especially for domestic animals) creepy-crawly an animal that creeps or crawls (such as worms or spiders or insects) darter a person or other animal that moves abruptly and rapidly peeper an animal that makes short high-pitched sounds homeotherm, homoiotherm, homotherm an animal that has a body temperature that is relatively constant and independent of the environmental temperature ectotherm, poikilotherm an animal whose body temperature varies with the temperature of its surroundings; any animal except birds and mammals range animal any animal that lives and grazes in the grassy open land of western North America (especially horses, cattle, sheep) varment, varmint any usually predatory wild animal considered undesirable; e.g., coyote scavenger any animal that feeds on refuse and other decaying organic matter work animal an animal trained for and used for heavy labor domestic animal, domesticated animal any of various animals that have been tamed and made fit for a human environment feeder an animal that feeds on a particular source of food migrator an animal (especially birds and fish) that travels between different habitats at particular times of the year molter, moulter an animal (especially birds and arthropods and reptiles) that periodically shed their outer layer (feathers or cuticle or skin or hair) pet a domesticated animal kept for companionship or amusement stayer a person or other animal having powers of endurance or perseverance stunt a creature (especially a whale) that has been prevented from attaining full growth marine animal, marine creature, sea animal, sea creature any of numerous animals inhabiting the sea including e.g. fishes and molluscs and many mammals female an animal that produces gametes (ova) that can be fertilized by male gametes (spermatozoa) male an animal that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that can fertilize female gametes (ova) adult any mature animal offspring, young any immature animal pureblood, purebred, thoroughbred a pedigreed animal of unmixed lineage; used especially of horses giant any creature of exceptional size survivor an animal that survives in spite of adversity mutant an animal that has undergone mutation herbivore any animal that feeds chiefly on grass and other plants insectivore any organism that feeds mainly on insects acrodont an animal having teeth consolidated with the summit of the alveolar ridge without sockets pleurodont an animal having teeth fused with the inner surface of the alveolar ridge without sockets monad (biology) a single-celled microorganism (especially a flagellate protozoan) obligate anaerobe an organism that cannot grow in the presence of oxygen dihybrid a hybrid produced by parents that differ only at two gene loci that have two alleles each monohybrid a hybrid produced by crossing parents that are homozygous except for a single gene locus that has two alleles (as in Mendel's experiments with garden peas) intestinal flora harmless microorganisms (as Escherichia coli) that inhabit the intestinal tract and are essential for its normal functioning virus (virology) ultramicroscopic infectious agent that replicates itself only within cells of living hosts; many are pathogenic; a piece of nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) wrapped in a thin coat of protein moneran, moneron organisms that typically reproduce by asexual budding or fission and whose nutritional mode is absorption or photosynthesis or chemosynthesis bacteria, bacterium (microbiology) single-celled or noncellular spherical or spiral or rod-shaped organisms lacking chlorophyll that reproduce by fission; important as pathogens and for biochemical properties; taxonomy is difficult; often considered to be plants phytoplankton photosynthetic or plant constituent of plankton; mainly unicellular algae zooplankton animal constituent of plankton; mainly small crustaceans and fish larvae bug, germ, microbe a minute life form (especially a disease-causing bacterium); the term is not in technical use endoparasite, endozoan, entoparasite, entozoan, entozoon any of various parasites that live in the internal organs of animals (especially intestinal worms) ectoparasite, ectozoan, ectozoon, epizoan, epizoon any external parasitic organism (as fleas) intermediate host a host that is used by a parasite in the course of its life cycle definitive host the host in which the sexual reproduction of a parasite takes place pathogen any disease-producing agent (especially a virus or bacterium or other microorganism) protoctist any of the unicellular protists protist, protistan free-living or colonial organisms with diverse nutritional and reproductive modes conceptus, embryo, fertilized egg an animal organism in the early stages of growth and differentiation that in higher forms merge into fetal stages but in lower forms terminate in commencement of larval life chordate any animal of the phylum Chordata having a notochord or spinal column invertebrate any animal lacking a backbone or notochord; the term is not used as a scientific classification metazoan any animal of the subkingdom Metazoa; all animals except protozoans and sponges omnivore an animal that feeds on both animal and vegetable substances predator, predatory animal any animal that lives by preying on other animals prey, quarry animal hunted or caught for food game animal hunted for food or sport hexapod an animal having six feet biped an animal with two feet larva the immature free-living form of most invertebrates and amphibians and fish which at hatching from the egg is fundamentally unlike its parent and must metamorphose racer an animal that races fictional animal animals that exist only in fiction (usually in children's stories) self a person considered as a unique individual adult, grownup a fully developed person from maturity onward adventurer, venturer a person who enjoys taking risks anomaly, unusual person a person who is unusual applicant, applier a person who requests or seeks something such as assistance or employment or admission appointee, appointment a person who is appointed to a job or position capitalist a person who invests capital in a business (especially a large business) captor, capturer a person who captures and holds people or animals changer, modifier a person who changes something color-blind person a person unable to distinguish differences in hue common man, common person, commoner a person who holds no title communicator a person who communicates with others contestant a person who participates in competitions coward a person who shows fear or timidity creator a person who grows or makes or invents things controversialist, disputant, eristic a person who disputes; who is good at or enjoys controversy applied scientist, engineer, technologist a person who uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems entertainer a person who tries to please or amuse experimenter a person who enjoys testing innovative ideas expert, pundit a person with special knowledge or ability who performs skillfully face a part of a person that is used to refer to a person female, female person a person who belongs to the sex that can have babies individualist a person who pursues independent thought or action denizen, dweller, habitant, indweller, inhabitant a person who inhabits a particular place aboriginal, aborigine, indigen, indigene, native an indigenous person who was born in a particular place native a person born in a particular place or country inexperienced person, innocent a person who lacks knowledge of evil intellect, intellectual a person who uses the mind creatively juvenile, juvenile person a young person, not fully developed lover a person who loves someone or is loved by someone loved one a person who you love, usually a member of your family leader a person who rules or guides or inspires others male, male person a person who belongs to the sex that cannot have babies money dealer, money handler a person who receives or invests or pays out money national, subject a person who owes allegiance to that nation nonreligious person a person who does not manifest devotion to a deity nonworker a person who does nothing compeer, equal, match, peer a person who is of equal standing with another in a group beholder, observer, perceiver, percipient a person who becomes aware (of things or events) through the senses percher a person situated on a perch forerunner, precursor a person who goes before or announces the coming of another primitive, primitive person a person who belongs to an early stage of civilization religious person a person who manifests devotion to a deity sensualist a person who enjoys sensuality traveler, traveller a person who changes location unfortunate, unfortunate person a person who suffers misfortune persona non grata, unwelcome person a person who for some reason is not wanted or welcome unskilled person a person who lacks technical training worker a person who works at a specific occupation African a native or inhabitant of Africa person of color, person of colour (formal) any non-European non-white person Caucasian, White, White person a member of the Caucasoid race Amerindian a dated term applied to an Indigenous person living in the Americas Slav any member of the people of eastern Europe or Asian Russia who speak a Slavonic language gentile a person who is not a member of one's own religion; used in this sense by Mormons and Hindus Hebrew, Israelite, Jew a person belonging to the worldwide group claiming descent from Jacob (or converted to it) and connected by cultural or religious ties Aries, Ram (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Aries Bull, Taurus (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Taurus Gemini, Twin (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Gemini Cancer, Crab (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Cancer Leo, Lion (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Leo Virgin, Virgo (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Virgo Balance, Libra (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Libra Scorpio, Scorpion (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Scorpio Archer, Sagittarius (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Sagittarius Capricorn, Goat (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Capricorn Aquarius, Water Bearer (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Aquarius Fish, Pisces (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Pisces abator a person who abates a nuisance abjurer a person who abjures abomination a person who is loathsome or disgusting abstainer, abstinent, nondrinker a person who refrains from drinking intoxicating beverages achiever, succeeder, success, winner a person with a record of successes acquaintance, friend a person with whom you are acquainted acquirer a person who acquires something (usually permanently) active a person who is a participating member of an organization actor, doer, worker a person who acts and gets things done adjudicator a person who studies and settles conflicts and disputes admirer a person who admires; someone who esteems or respects or approves adoptee someone (such as a child) who has been adopted adversary, antagonist, opponent, opposer, resister someone who offers opposition advisee someone who receives advice advocate, advocator, exponent, proponent a person who pleads for a person, cause, or idea affiant a person who makes an affidavit agnostic, doubter someone who is doubtful or noncommittal about something amateur someone who pursues a study or sport as a pastime ancient a person who lived in ancient times anti a person who is opposed (to an action or policy or practice etc.) anti-American a person who is opposed to the United States and its policies apprehender a person who seizes or arrests (especially a person who seizes or arrests in the name of justice) appreciator a person who is fully aware of something and understands it archaist a person who archaizes arrogator a person who through conceit makes pretentious claims to rights or advantages that he or she is not entitled to or to qualities that he or she does not possess assessee a person (or property) that is assessed asthmatic a person suffering from asthma authority (usually plural) persons who exercise (administrative) control over others autodidact a person who has taught himself baby boomer, boomer a member of the baby boom generation in the 1950s baby buster, buster a person born in the generation following the baby boom when the birth rate fell dramatically bad guy any person who is not on your side bad person, malefactor a person who does harm to others baldhead, baldpate, baldy a person whose head is bald balker, baulker, noncompliant a person who refuses to comply bullfighter, toreador someone who fights bulls bather a person who takes a bath beard a person who diverts suspicion from someone (especially a woman who accompanies a male homosexual in order to conceal his homosexuality) bedfellow a person with whom you share a bed bereaved, bereaved person a person who has suffered the death of someone they loved best, topper the person who is most outstanding or excellent; someone who tops all others birth a baby born; an offspring biter someone who bites blogger a person who keeps and updates a blog blond, blonde a person with fair skin and hair bluecoat a person dressed all in blue (as a soldier or sailor) bodybuilder, muscle builder, muscle-builder, musclebuilder, muscleman someone who does special exercises to develop a brawny musculature bomber a person who plants bombs brunet, brunette a person with dark (brown) hair buster a person (or thing) that breaks up or overpowers something candidate, nominee, prospect someone who is considered for something (for an office or prize or honor etc.) captive an animal that is confined case a person requiring professional services cashier a person responsible for receiving payments for goods and services (as in a shop or restaurant) celebrant, celebrater, celebrator a person who is celebrating censor someone who censures or condemns chameleon a changeable or inconstant person beguiler, charmer a person who charms others (usually by personal attractiveness) baby, child an immature childish person chutzpanik (Yiddish) a person characterized by chutzpa closer a person who closes something clumsy person a person with poor motor coordination aggregator, collector a person who collects things battler, belligerent, combatant, fighter, scrapper someone who fights (or is fighting) complexifier someone or something that makes a situation complex compulsive a person with a compulsive disposition; someone who feels compelled to do certain things computer user a person who uses computers for work or entertainment or communication or business contemplative a person devoted to the contemplative life convert a person who has been converted to another religious or political belief ape, aper, copycat, emulator, imitator someone who copies the words or behavior of another counter a person who counts things counterterrorist someone who attempts to prevent terrorism crawler, creeper a person who crawls or creeps along the ground creature, wight a human being creditor a person to whom money is owed by a debtor; someone to whom an obligation exists cripple someone who is unable to walk normally because of an injury or disability to the legs or back dancer, social dancer a person who participates in a social gathering arranged for dancing (as a ball) dead person, dead soul, deceased, deceased person, decedent, departed someone who is no longer alive deaf person a person with a severe auditory impairment debaser, degrader a person who lowers the quality or character or value (as by adding cheaper metal to coins) debitor, debtor a person who owes a creditor; someone who has the obligation of paying a debt delayer a person who delays; to put off until later or cause to be late deliverer a person who gives up or transfers money or goods demander a person who makes demands dieter a person who diets differentiator, discriminator a person who (or that which) differentiates disentangler, unraveler, unraveller a person who removes tangles; someone who takes something out of a tangled state contestant, dissenter, dissentient, dissident, objector, protester a person who dissents from some established policy divider a person who separates something into parts or groups domestic partner, significant other, spousal equivalent, spouse equivalent a person (not necessarily a spouse) with whom you cohabit and share a long-term sexual relationship double, image, look-alike someone who closely resembles a famous person (especially an actor) dresser a person who dresses in a particular way dribbler, driveller, drooler, slobberer a person who dribbles drug user, substance abuser, user a person who takes drugs dyslectic a person who has dyslexia ectomorph a person with a thin body effecter, effector one who brings about a result or event; one who accomplishes a purpose Elizabethan a person who lived during the reign of Elizabeth I emotional person a person subject to strong states of emotion endomorph a heavy person with a soft and rounded body enjoyer a person who delights in having or using or experiencing something enrollee a person who enrolls in (or is enrolled in) a class or course of study ethnic a person who is a member of an ethnic group adventurer, explorer someone who travels into little known regions (especially for some scientific purpose) extravert, extrovert (psychology) a person concerned more with practical realities than with inner thoughts and feelings faddist a person who subscribes to a variety of fads faller a person who falls fastener a person who fastens or makes fast fiduciary a person who holds assets in trust for a beneficiary first-rater one who is first-rate follower a person who accepts the leadership of another freak, lusus naturae, monster, monstrosity a person or animal that is markedly unusual or deformed free agent, free spirit, freewheeler someone acting freely or even irresponsibly friend a person you know well and regard with affection and trust fleer, fugitive, runaway someone who flees from an uncongenial situation gainer a person who gains (gains an advantage or gains profits) gainer, weight gainer a person who gains weight gambler a person who wagers money on the outcome of games or sporting events gatekeeper someone who controls access to something gatherer a person who gathers good guy any person who is on your side good person a person who is good to other people granter a person who grants or gives something greeter, saluter, welcomer a person who greets grinner a person who grins groaner a person who groans grunter a person who grunts guesser a person who guesses handicapped person a person who has some condition that markedly restricts their ability to function physically or mentally or socially hater a person who hates head an individual person heterosexual, heterosexual person, straight, straight person a heterosexual person; someone having a sexual orientation to persons of the opposite sex homunculus a tiny fully formed individual that (according to the discredited theory of preformation) is supposed to be present in the sperm cell hope someone (or something) on which expectations are centered hoper a person who hopes huddler a person who crouches hugger a person who hugs immune a person who is immune to a particular infection insured, insured person a person whose interests are protected by an insurance policy; a person who contracts for an insurance policy that indemnifies him against loss of property or life or health etc. interpreter someone who uses art to represent something introvert (psychology) a person who tends to shrink from social contacts and to become preoccupied with their own thoughts Jat a member of an Indo-European people widely scattered throughout the northwest of the Indian subcontinent and consisting of Muslims and Hindus and Sikhs gem, jewel a person who is as brilliant and precious as a piece of jewelry jumper a person who jumps junior the younger of two persons killer, slayer someone who causes the death of a person or animal relation, relative a person related by blood or marriage kink a person with unusual sexual tastes kneeler a person in a kneeling position knocker a person who knocks (as seeking to gain admittance) apprehender, knower a person who knows or apprehends large person a person of greater than average size Latin a person who is a member of those peoples whose languages derived from Latin laugher a person who is laughing or who laughs easily assimilator, learner, scholar someone (especially a child) who learns (as from a teacher) or takes up knowledge or beliefs left-hander, lefty, southpaw a person who uses the left hand with greater skill than the right life a living person lightning rod someone who is a frequent target of negative reactions and serves to distract attention from another linguist, polyglot a person who speaks more than one language literate, literate person a person who can read and write liver a person who has a special life style longer, thirster, yearner a person with a strong desire for something loose cannon a person who is expected to perform a particular task but who is out of control and dangerous machine an efficient person mailer a person who mails something malcontent a person who is discontented or disgusted man the generic use of the word to refer to any human being manipulator a person who handles things manually man jack a single individual married a person who is married masturbator, onanist a person who practices masturbation mate the partner of an animal (especially a sexual partner) measurer a person who makes measurements nonmember a person who is not a member mesomorph a person with a well-developed muscular body ladino, mestizo a person of mixed racial ancestry (especially mixed European and Native American ancestry) middlebrow someone who is neither a highbrow nor a lowbrow miracle man, miracle worker a person who claims or is alleged to perform miracles misogamist a person who hates, avoids, or opposes marriage mixed-blood a person whose ancestors belonged to two or more races modern, neoteric a contemporary person, especially one who promotes new ideas monolingual a person who knows only one language mother hen a person who cares for the needs of others (especially in an overprotective or interfering way) mouse person who is quiet or timid maimer, mangler, mutilator a person who mutilates or destroys or disfigures or cripples namer a person who gives a name or names namesake a person with the same name as another neglecter a person who is neglectful and gives little attention or respect to people or responsibilities neighbor, neighbour a person who lives (or is located) near another neutral one who does not side with any party in a war or dispute nondescript a person who is not easily classified and not very interesting nonparticipant a person who does not participate nonpartisan, nonpartizan a person who is nonpartisan nonperson, unperson a person regarded as nonexistent and having no rights; a person whose existence is systematically ignored (especially for ideological or political reasons) nonresident someone who does not live in a particular place nonsmoker a person who does not smoke tobacco nude, nude person a naked person nurser a person who treats something carefully occultist a believer in occultism; someone versed in the occult arts optimist a person disposed to take a favorable view of things orphan someone or something who lacks support or care or supervision ostrich a person who refuses to face reality or recognize the truth (a reference to the popular notion that the ostrich hides from danger by burying its head in the sand) ejector, ouster a person who ousts or supplants someone else outcaste a person belonging to no caste outdoorsman a person who spends time outdoors (e.g., hunting or fishing) owner, possessor a person who owns something coddler, mollycoddler, pamperer, spoiler someone who pampers or spoils by excessive indulgence pansexual a person attracted to people regardless of gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation excuser, forgiver, pardoner a person who pardons or forgives or excuses a fault or offense partner a person who is a member of a partnership party a person involved in legal proceedings passer a person who passes as a member of a different ethnic or racial group personage another word for a human being and usually not meriting identification personification a person who represents an abstract quality perspirer, sweater a person who perspires philosopher a wise person who is calm and rational; someone who lives a life of reason with equanimity chooser, picker, selector a person who chooses or selects out urinator a person who urinates contriver, deviser, planner a person who makes plans player a person who pursues a number of different social and sexual partners simultaneously posturer someone who behaves in a manner calculated to impress or mislead others powderer someone who applies or scatters powder preserver someone who keeps safe from harm or danger propositus the person immediately affected by or concerned with an action public relations person a person employed to establish and promote a favorable relationship with the public pursuer a person who pursues some plan or goal pussycat a person who is regarded as easygoing and agreeable quarter an unspecified person quitter a person who gives up too easily radical a person who has radical ideas or opinions objectivist, realist a person who accepts the world as it literally is and deals with it accordingly rectifier a person who corrects or sets right carrottop, red-header, redhead, redheader someone who has red hair registrant a person who is formally entered (along with others) in a register (and who obtains certain rights thereby) allayer, comforter, reliever a person who reduces the intensity (e.g., of fears) and calms and pacifies repeater a person who repeats recoverer, rescuer, saver someone who saves something from danger or violence rester a person who rests controller, restrainer a person who directs and restrains revenant a person who returns after a lengthy absence have, rich person, wealthy person a person who possesses great material wealth right hander, right-hander, righthander a person who uses the right hand more skillfully than the left riser a person who rises (especially from bed) romper a person who romps or frolics roundhead a brachycephalic person ruler, swayer a person who rules or commands rusher a person who rushes; someone in a hurry; someone who acts precipitously scientist a person with advanced knowledge of one or more sciences scratcher a person who scratches to relieve an itch mediocrity, second-rater a person of second-rate ability or value cloud seeder, seeder a person who seeds clouds quester, searcher, seeker someone making a search or inquiry segregate someone who is or has been segregated romanticist, sentimentalist someone who indulges in excessive sentimentality sex object any person regarded simply as an object of sexual gratification sex symbol a person (especially a celebrity) who is well-known for their sexual attractiveness mover and shaker, shaker a person who wields power and influence showman a person skilled at making effective presentations signatory, signer someone who signs and is bound by a document simple, simpleton a person lacking intelligence or common sense six-footer a person who is at least six feet tall skidder, slider, slipper a person who slips or slides because of loss of traction slave a person who is owned by someone slave someone entirely dominated by some influence or person sleepyhead a sleepy person sloucher a person who slouches; someone with a drooping carriage small person a person of below average size smasher a person who smashes something smiler a person who smiles sneezer a person who sneezes sniffer a person who sniffs sniffler, sniveler a person who breathes audibly through a congested nose snuffer a person who snuffs out candles snuffler a person who breathes noisily (as through a nose blocked by mucus) socialiser, socializer a person who takes part in social activities sort a person of a particular character or nature sounding board a person whose reactions to something serve as an indication of its acceptability sphinx an inscrutable person who keeps thoughts or intentions a secret expectorator, spitter a person who spits (ejects saliva or phlegm from the mouth) sport a person known for the way she (or he) behaves when teased or defeated or subjected to trying circumstances sprawler a person who sprawls spurner a person who rejects (someone or something) with contempt squint-eye, squinter a person with strabismus standee someone who stands in a place where one might otherwise sit (as a spectator who uses standing room in a theater or a passenger on a crowded bus or train) smotherer, stifler a person who stifles or smothers or suppresses stigmatic, stigmatist a person whose body is marked by religious stigmata (such as marks resembling the wounds of the crucified Christ) stooper a person who carries himself or herself with the head and shoulders habitually bent forward stranger an individual that one is not acquainted with struggler a person who struggles with difficulties or with great effort case, guinea pig, subject a person who is subjected to experimental or other observational procedures; someone who is an object of investigation supernumerary a person in excess of the regular, required, or usual number surrenderer, yielder a person who yields or surrenders survivalist someone who tries to insure their personal survival or the survival of their group or nation survivor one who outlives another suspect someone who is under suspicion tagger someone who appends or joins one thing to another tagger someone who assigns labels to the grammatical constituents of textual matter tapper a person who strikes a surface lightly and usually repeatedly tempter a person who tempts others termer a person who serves a specified term scourge, terror, threat a person who inspires fear or dread testate, testator a person who makes a will scrag, skin and bones, thin person a person who is unusually thin and scrawny third-rater one who is third-rate or distinctly inferior thrower someone who projects something (especially by a rapid motion of the arm) tiger a fierce or audacious person totemist a person who belongs to a clan or tribe having a totem toucher a person who causes or allows a part of the body to come in contact with someone or something transfer, transferee someone who transfers or is transferred from one position to another transexual, transsexual a person whose sexual identification is entirely with the opposite sex cross-dresser, transvestite someone who adopts the dress or manner or sexual role of the opposite sex attempter, essayer, trier one who tries turner one of two persons who swing ropes for jumpers to skip over in the game of jump rope tyrant any person who exercises power in a cruel way opener, undoer, unfastener, untier a person who unfastens or unwraps or opens user a person who makes use of a thing; someone who uses or employs something vanisher a person who disappears dupe, pigeon, victim a person who is easily tricked or swindled Victorian a person who lived during the reign of Victoria visionary a person given to fanciful speculations and enthusiasms with little regard for what is actually possible visually impaired person someone who has inferior vision waiter a person who waits or awaits waker a person who awakes walk-in person who walks in without having an appointment needer, wanter a person who wants or needs something ward a person who is under the protection or in the custody of another warrior someone engaged in or experienced in warfare watcher a person who keeps a devotional vigil by a sick bed or by a dead body doormat, weakling, wuss a person who is physically weak and ineffectual weasel a person who is regarded as treacherous or sneaky squirmer, wiggler, wriggler one who can't stay still (especially a child) winker a person who winks withholder a person who refrains from granting witness (law) a person who testifies under oath in a court of law worldling a person absorbed by the concerns and interests and pleasures of the present world yawner a person who yawns microflora microscopic plants; bacteria are often considered to be microflora crop a cultivated plant that is grown commercially on a large scale endemic a plant that is native to a certain limited area holophyte an organism that produces its own food by photosynthesis non-flowering plant a plant that does not bear flowers plantlet a young plant or a small plant wilding a wild uncultivated plant (especially a wild apple or crabapple tree) ornamental any plant grown for its beauty or ornamental value pot plant a plant suitable for growing in a flowerpot (especially indoors) acrogen any flowerless plant such as a fern (pteridophyte) or moss (bryophyte) in which growth occurs only at the tip of the main stem apomict a plant that reproduces or is reproduced by apomixis aquatic a plant that lives in or on water bryophyte, nonvascular plant any of numerous plants of the division Bryophyta cryptogam formerly recognized taxonomic group including all flowerless and seedless plants that reproduce by means of spores: ferns, mosses, algae, fungi annual (botany) a plant that completes its entire life cycle within the space of a year biennial (botany) a plant having a life cycle that normally takes two seasons from germination to death to complete; flowering biennials usually bloom and fruit in the second season perennial (botany) a plant lasting for three seasons or more escape a plant originally cultivated but now growing wild hygrophyte a plant that grows in a moist habitat neophyte a plant that is found in an area where it had not been recorded previously embryo (botany) a minute rudimentary plant contained within a seed or an archegonium monocarp, monocarpic plant, monocarpous plant a plant that bears fruit once and dies sporophyte the spore-producing individual or phase in the life cycle of a plant having alternation of generations gametophyte the gamete-bearing individual or phase in the life cycle of a plant having alternation of generations Ceratostomella ulmi, Dutch elm fungus fungus causing Dutch elm disease Claviceps purpurea, ergot a fungus that infects various cereal plants forming compact black masses of branching filaments that replace many grains of the plant; source of medicinally important alkaloids and of lysergic acid Xylaria mali, black root rot fungus fungus causing black root rot in apples Xylaria polymorpha, dead-man's-fingers, dead-men's-fingers the fruiting bodies of the fungi of the genus Xylaria sclerotinia any fungus of the genus Sclerotinia; some causing brown rot diseases in plants earthball, false truffle, hard-skinned puffball, puffball any of various fungi of the genus Scleroderma having hard-skinned subterranean fruiting bodies resembling truffles stalked puffball mushroom of the genus Tulostoma that resembles a puffball false truffle any of various fungi of the family Rhizopogonaceae having subterranean fruiting bodies similar to the truffle slime mold, slime mould a naked mass of protoplasm having characteristics of both plants and animals; sometimes classified as protoctists pond-scum parasite an aquatic fungus of genus Synchytriaceae that is parasitic on pond scum Synchytrium endobioticum, potato wart fungus fungus causing potato wart disease in potato tubers Saprolegnia ferax, white fungus a fungus that attacks living fish and tadpoles and spawn causing white fungus disease: a coating of white hyphae on especially peripheral parts (as fins) white rust fungus causing a disease characterized by a white powdery mass of conidia pythium any fungus of the genus Pythium Phytophthora citrophthora causes brown rot gummosis in citrus fruits Phytophthora infestans fungus causing late blight in solanaceous plants especially tomatoes and potatoes Plasmodiophora brassicae, clubroot fungus a fungus resembling slime mold that causes swellings or distortions of the roots of cabbages and related plants earth-ball, earthnut, tartufo, truffle any of various highly prized edible subterranean fungi of the genus Tuber; grow naturally in southwestern Europe coral fungus any of numerous fungi of the family Clavariaceae often brightly colored that grow in often intricately branched clusters like coral tooth fungus a fungus of the family Hydnaceae lichen any thallophytic plant of the division Lichenes; occur as crusty patches or bushy growths on tree trunks or rocks or bare ground etc. true fungus any of numerous fungi of the division Eumycota basidiomycete, basidiomycetous fungi any of various fungi of the subdivision Basidiomycota Chinese black mushroom, Lentinus edodes, Oriental black mushroom, golden oak mushroom, shiitake, shiitake mushroom edible east Asian mushroom having a golden or dark brown to blackish cap and an inedible stipe Lentinus lepideus, scaly lentinus a fungus with a scaly cap and white flesh and a ring on the stalk (with scales below the ring); odor reminiscent of licorice Corticium salmonicolor, pink disease fungus fungus causing pink disease in citrus and coffee and rubber trees etc Corticium solani, bottom rot fungus fungus causing bottom rot in lettuce Pellicularia filamentosa, Rhizoctinia solani, potato fungus fungus causing a disease in potatoes characterized by black scurfy spots on the tubers Pellicularia koleroga, coffee fungus fungus causing a disease in coffee and some other tropical plants Volvaria bombycina a parasite on various trees sac fungus any of various ascomycetous fungi in which the spores are formed in a sac or ascus ascomycete, ascomycetous fungus any fungus of the class Ascomycetes (or subdivision Ascomycota) in which the spores are formed inside an ascus yeast any of various single-celled fungi that reproduce asexually by budding or division Aspergillus fumigatus a mold causing aspergillosis in birds and man Thielavia basicola, brown root rot fungus fungus causing brown root rot in plants of the pea and potato and cucumber families Wynnea americana a fungus composed of several apothecia that look like elongated rabbit ears; the sterile surface is dark brown and warty; the fertile surface is smooth and pinkish orange Wynnea sparassoides a fungus with a long solid stalk embedded in soil and a yellow-brown head shaped like a cauliflower false morel a fungus of the family Helvellaceae lorchel a large fungus of the family Helvellaceae gyromitra any fungus of the genus Gyromitra gasteromycete, gastromycete any fungus of the class Gasteromycetes carrion fungus, stinkhorn any of various ill-smelling brown-capped fungi of the order Phallales puffball, true puffball any of various fungi of the family Lycoperdaceae whose round fruiting body discharges a cloud of spores when mature earthstar any fungus of the family Geastraceae; in form suggesting a puffball whose outer peridium splits into the shape of a star Radiigera fuscogleba a fungus similar to an earthstar except that it does not open up; the spore mass is brown at maturity with a column of sterile tissue extending up into it bird's-nest fungus any of various fungi of the family Nidulariaceae having a cup-shaped body containing several egg-shaped structure enclosing the spores Gastrocybe lateritia a species of Gastrocybe fungus that has a conic cap and a thin stalk; at first the stalk is upright but as it matures the stalk bends over and then downward; the cap then gelatinizes and a slimy mass containing the spores falls to the ground as the stalk collapses Macowanites americanus a small fungus with a fragile cap that cracks to expose the white context and a white stalk that is practically enclosed by the cap Gastroboletus scabrosus a dingy yellow brown fungus with a rough stalk that superficially resembles a bolete Gastroboletus turbinatus a fungus with a cap that can vary from red to dark brown; superficially resembles a bolete Grifola frondosa, Polyporus frondosus, hen of the woods, hen-of-the-woods large greyish-brown edible fungus forming a mass of overlapping caps that somewhat resembles a hen at the base of trees Fomes igniarius, agaric fungus used in the preparation of punk for fuses bolete any fungus of the family Boletaceae jelly fungus any fungus of the order Tremellales or Auriculariales whose fruiting body is jellylike in consistency when fresh rust, rust fungus any of various fungi causing rust disease in plants smut, smut fungus any fungus of the order Ustilaginales Septobasidium pseudopedicellatum, felt fungus fungus that frequently encircles twigs and branches of various trees especially citrus trees in southern United States mold, mould a fungus that produces a superficial growth on various kinds of damp or decaying organic matter mildew a fungus that produces a superficial (usually white) growth on organic matter verticillium a fungus of the genus Verticillium monilia any of the yeastlike imperfect fungi of the genus Monilia candida any of the yeastlike imperfect fungi of the genus Candida blastomycete any of various yeastlike budding fungi of the genus Blastomyces; cause disease in humans and other animals Cercospora kopkei, yellow spot fungus fungus causing yellow spot (a sugarcane disease in Australia) Ustilaginoidea virens, green smut fungus fungus causing green smut in rice dry rot a fungus causing dry rot rhizoctinia any fungus now or formerly belonging to the form genus Rhizoctinia houseplant any of a variety of plants grown indoors for decorative purposes garden plant any of a variety of plants usually grown especially in a flower or herb garden tracheophyte, vascular plant green plant having a vascular system: ferns, gymnosperms, angiosperms poisonous plant a plant that when touched or ingested in sufficient quantity can be harmful or fatal to an organism parasitic plant plant living on another plant and obtaining organic nutriment from it aerophyte, air plant, epiphyte, epiphytic plant a plant that derives moisture and nutrients from the air and rain; usually grows on another plant but not parasitic on it rock plant plant that grows on or among rocks or is suitable for a rock garden autophyte, autophytic plant, autotroph, autotrophic organism, producer plant capable of synthesizing its own food from simple organic substances myrmecophyte plant that affords shelter or food to ants that live in symbiotic relations with it earth-tongue, earthtongue any club-shaped fungus of the genus Geoglossum decomposer an organism that breaks down dead animal and plant matter, thereby returning nutrients to an ecosystem type of: animate thing, living thing a living (or once living) entity
noun a system considered analogous in structure or function to a living body “the social organism” see moresee less type of: scheme, system a group of independent but interrelated elements comprising a unified whole

Pronunciation US /ˌɔrgəˈnɪzəm/ UK /ɔgəˈnɪzəm/ Cite this entry Style: MLA

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