non-organicadj.
/ˌnɒnɔːˈɡanɪk/, U.S. /ˌnɑnɔrˈɡænɪk/ 1. Not relating to or derived from living matter; not organic (in various senses).
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > organism > [adjective] > not
unorganized1690
inorganic1851
non-organic1856
systemless1863
1856 P. E. Dove Theory of Human Progression 217 The same principles that apply to non-vital forces acting on non-organic portions of matter.
1872 Atlantic Monthly Jan. 122/1 The evolution of the least complex organic forms from the highly complex non-organic forms.
1917 Amer. Anthropologist 19 188 He did not adequately conceive of human society as holding a specific content that is non-organic.
1946 C. Morris Signs, Lang. & Behavior 18 The non-organic world.
1968 C. A. Doxiadis Between Dystopia & Utopia 34 Cities continued to spread in what seems to be a non-organic pattern.
1981 16th Cent. Jrnl. 12 12 Mental illnesses (at least the nonorganic varieties) seem to be shaped so by class, expectation, labeling, and experience.
1993 Computers & Humanities 37 283/2 Those works which do not conform to his criteria are regarded as deficient and ‘non-organic.’
2. Of food, farming, etc.: not produced by, relating to, or involving production by organic methods.
ΚΠ
1989 Science 5 May 515/3 It is hoped that ‘noncarcinogenic’ fungicides can be used on nonorganic apples to stop mold growth.
2002 Org. Life Mar. 66/1 The jury is still out on whether organic food is convincingly healthier than non-organic (but natural i.e. additive-free) food.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1856