organisme

organism, body

noun or-gah-NEES-m Rare

Origin: Greek 'organon' (instrument, tool)

Also means

organization, agency

Usage Note

organisme covers living organisms in biology (les organismes vivants) and also institutional bodies or agencies (un organisme public). The distinction from organisation is subtle: organisme often implies a structured entity with functions, while organisation emphasizes the act or structure of organizing.

Examples

"Notre organisme a besoin de vitamines."

Natural Translation

Our body needs vitamins.

Literal Translation

Our organism needs vitamins.

Related Words

Explore French by topic

FrenchNow

Avoir or Être? Picking the Right Past-Tense Helper

Use avoir for the passé composé unless the verb is reflexive or one of ~16 DR MRS VANDERTRAMP motion verbs, which take être and force agreement.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

Le, La, Un, Du: French Articles Made Simple

Le, la, un, du, des made simple: pick the French article family by meaning, the form by gender, and dodge the two mistakes English speakers always make.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

How to Pronounce the French R (Step by Step)

The French R is a back-of-the-throat sound, not a rolled R. Learn the exact tongue position and a step-by-step drill to build it from sounds you already make.

June 4, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

French False Friends: 25 Faux Amis to Avoid

French false friends look like English words but mean something else: actuellement is not actually, sensible means sensitive. Here are 25 faux amis to avoid.

June 3, 2026 5 min read