organic

Everyday

1. Organic food is grown or raised without man-made chemicals such as artificial pesticides and fertilisers. tree →
2. (science) Organic means coming from living things, such as plants and animals. tree →
3. (chemistry) Organic substances contain carbon, like sugar, oil and plastics. tree →
4. Organic growth or change happens naturally and slowly, not forced. tree →

In the lessons

In shops it is a food label. In science it describes material that rots (organic waste goes in compost) and the chemistry of carbon. In everyday speech «organic» growth means natural growth. Phrases: «organic food», «organic matter», «organic waste», «organic farming».

Examples

• We buy organic apples at the market. tree →
• Leaves and peel are organic matter for the compost. tree →
• Soil is full of organic material. tree →
• This farm grows organic vegetables. tree →
• Organic waste goes in the green bin. tree →
• Wood is organic because it came from a tree. tree →
• The club grew in an organic way, friend by friend. tree →
• Organic eggs come from hens kept without certain chemicals. tree →

Note

Myth: «organic» does not mean «no chemicals at all» — everything is made of chemicals; it means no artificial pesticides and certain other rules. Organic is not always healthier. Opposite in science: inorganic (rock, metal, salt).