\Or*gan"ic\, a. [L. organicus, Gr. ?: cf. F. organique.]
1. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to an organ or its functions, or
   to objects composed of organs; consisting of organs, or
   containing them; as, the organic structure of animals and
   plants; exhibiting characters peculiar to living
   organisms; as, organic bodies, organic life, organic
   remains. Cf. {Inorganic}.
2. Produced by the organs; as, organic pleasure. [R.]
3. Instrumental; acting as instruments of nature or of art to
   a certain destined function or end. [R.]
         Those organic arts which enable men to discourse and
         write perspicuously.                  --Milton.
4. Forming a whole composed of organs. Hence: Of or
   pertaining to a system of organs; inherent in, or
   resulting from, a certain organization; as, an organic
   government; his love of truth was not inculcated, but
   organic.
5. Pertaining to, or denoting, any one of the large series of
   substances which, in nature or origin, are connected with
   vital processes, and include many substances of artificial
   production which may or may not occur in animals or
   plants; -- contrasted with {inorganic}.
Note: The principles of organic and inorganic chemistry are
      identical; but the enormous number and the completeness
      of related series of organic compounds, together with
      their remarkable facility of exchange and substitution,
      offer an illustration of chemical reaction and homology
      not to be paralleled in inorganic chemistry.
{Organic analysis} (Chem.), the analysis of organic
   compounds, concerned chiefly with the determination of
   carbon as carbon dioxide, hydrogen as water, oxygen as the
   difference between the sum of the others and 100 per cent,
   and nitrogen as free nitrogen, ammonia, or nitric oxide;
   -- formerly called ultimate analysis, in distinction from
   proximate analysis.
{Organic chemistry}. See under {Chemistry}.
{Organic compounds}. (Chem.) See {Carbon compounds}, under
   {Carbon}.
{Organic description of a curve} (Geom.), the description of
   a curve on a plane by means of instruments. --Brande & C.
{Organic disease} (Med.), a disease attended with morbid
   changes in the structure of the organs of the body or in
   the composition of its fluids; -- opposed to {functional
   disease}.
{Organic electricity}. See under {Electricity}.
{Organic} {law or laws}, a law or system of laws, or
   declaration of principles fundamental to the existence and
   organization of a political or other association; a
   constitution.
{Organic stricture} (Med.), a contraction of one of the
   natural passages of the body produced by structural
   changes in its walls, as distinguished from a spasmodic
   stricture, which is due to muscular contraction.