inorganic

adjective

in·​or·​gan·​ic ˌin-(ˌ)ȯr-ˈga-nik How to pronounce inorganic (audio)
1
a(1)
: being or composed of matter other than plant or animal : mineral
(2)
: forming or belonging to the inanimate world
b
: of, relating to, or dealt with by a branch of chemistry concerned with substances not usually classed as organic
2
: not arising from natural growth : artificial
also : lacking structure, character, or vitality
dull inorganic things, without individuality or prestige John Buchan
inorganically adverb

Examples of inorganic in a Sentence

producing energy from inorganic materials
Recent Examples on the Web Will there be potential inorganic opportunities to add to our current growth? Nick Statt, The Verge, 26 Feb. 2024 Although for me, questions of habit, the inorganic nature of driving and social pressure rise before the innate chaos and evil of the human soul. Ron Lieber, New York Times, 16 Dec. 2023 In traditional hydrometallurgy, a battery’s metals are reduced to a black powder and dissolved in an inorganic acid. Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Dec. 2023 Transistors are typically made of inorganic materials, such as minerals and metals. IEEE Spectrum, 7 Jan. 2024 Their top three priorities for 2024 are financial performance (53%), organic and inorganic growth (43%), and cost management (36%). Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2024 Use a mix of inorganic and organic soil to mimic its native epiphyte environment. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 4 Dec. 2023 Roche has been looking at inorganic growth to bolster its pipeline. Trefis Team, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023 Innovations in batteries have soared in recent years — with researchers replacing flammable liquid electrolytes in standard lithium-ion batteries with more stable, solid electrolyte materials like nonflammable gels, inorganic glass and solid polymers to create solid-state batteries. Nidhi Sharma, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inorganic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1729, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of inorganic was in 1729

Dictionary Entries Near inorganic

Cite this Entry

“Inorganic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inorganic. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

inorganic

adjective
in·​or·​gan·​ic ˌin-ˌȯr-ˈgan-ik How to pronounce inorganic (audio)
1
: being or composed of matter that does not come from plants or animals either alive or dead : mineral
2
: of or relating to a branch of chemistry concerned with substances that contain little or no carbon
inorganically adverb

Medical Definition

inorganic

adjective
in·​or·​gan·​ic ˌin-ˌȯr-ˈgan-ik How to pronounce inorganic (audio)
1
a
: being or composed of matter other than plant or animal
an inorganic heart
b
: forming or belonging to the inanimate world
2
: of, relating to, or dealt with by a branch of chemistry concerned with substances not usually classified as organic
inorganically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on inorganic

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