inorganic

[ in-awr-gan-ik ]

adjective

1. not having the structure or organization characteristic of living bodies.
2. not characterized by vital processes.
3. Chemistry. noting or pertaining to compounds that are not hydrocarbons or their derivatives. Compare organic ( def 1 ).
4. not fundamental or related; extraneous.

inorganic

/ ˌɪnɔːˈɡænɪk /

adjective

1. not having the structure or characteristics of living organisms; not organic
2. relating to or denoting chemical compounds that do not contain carbon Compare organic
3. not having a system, structure, or ordered relation of parts; amorphous
4. not resulting from or produced by growth; artificial
5. linguistics denoting or relating to a sound or letter introduced into the pronunciation or spelling of a word at some point in its history

inorganic

/ ĭn′ôr-găn′ĭk /

1. Not involving organisms or the products of their life processes.
2. Relating to chemical compounds that occur mainly outside of living or once living organisms, such as those in rocks, minerals, and ceramics. Most inorganic compounds lack carbon, such as salt (NaCl) and ammonia (NH 3 ); a few, such as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), do contain it, but never attached to hydrogen atoms as in hydrocarbons. Inorganic molecules tend to have a relatively small number of atoms as compared with organic molecules.

Derived Forms

• ˌinorˈganically, adverb

Other Words From

• inor·gani·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of inorganic¹

First recorded in 1785–95; in- ³ + organic

Example Sentences

When the plant parts are exposed to oxygen and other substances, the organic carbon begins to decompose into inorganic carbon, which can be dissolved into carbonic acid in the water.

From Science Daily

For centuries, civilizations have used naturally occurring, inorganic materials for their perceived healing properties.

From Science Daily

"And we can tune the composition of either the inorganic or organic layer."

From Science Daily

Researchers at Tampere University have discovered that sulfur trioxide can form products other than sulfuric acid in the atmosphere by interacting with organic and inorganic acids.

From Science Daily

Depending on the nitrogen available in the soil, legume plants can be in different states: lacking nitrogen, in a partnership with the bacteria, or using nitrogen from inorganic sources like nitrate.

From Science Daily