Where does “organic” come from?
organic (Middle English) comes from Old French organique, from Latin organicus, from Latin -icus, from Ancient Greek -ικός, from Ancient Greek -κός, from Proto-Indo-European -ḱos — -y, -ic.
organic (Middle English): Resembling or functioning like an organ; composed...
Definitions
- Resembling or functioning like an organ; composed...
Ancestry of “organic”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | organique | — |
| 2 | Latin | organicus | musician, instrumentalist; instrumental; organic |
| 3 | Latin | -icus | belonging to; derived from; of or pertaining to;... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | -ικός | of or pertaining to, in the manner of; -ic |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | -κός | forms adjectives with the sense of 'of or... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -ḱos | -y, -ic |