■ noun
1》 a part of an ~ism which is typically self-contained and has a specific vital function.
↘ euphemistic a man's penis.
2》 a large musical instrument having rows of pipes supplied with air from bellows and arranged in ranks, each controlled by a stop, and played using a keyboard or by an automatic mechanism.
↘a smaller instrument without pipes, producing similar sounds electronically.
3》 a department or ~ization that performs a specified function.
4》 a newspaper or periodical which puts forward the views of a political party or movement.
Derivatives
~ist noun
Origin
OE, via L. from Gk ~on 'tool, sense ~', reinforced in ME by OFr. ~e .