n.
Pronunciation: o ̇ r- ' ga-n ə - ˌ si-z ə m
Function: noun
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary
Date: 1883
1 a : the explanation of life and living processes in terms of the levels of organization of living systems rather than in terms of the properties of their smallest components b : VITALISM
2 : any of various theories that attribute to society or the universe as a whole an existence or characteristics analogous to those of a biological organism
– or · gan · i · cist \ -sist \ noun or adjective