Organic has several meanings and related topics. Its original meaning is "Part of or derived from living matter". It can be related to, or derived from living organisms: organic matter. It can mean, relating to, or affecting a bodily organ: an organic disease . Organic has also come to mean simply "Resembling something alive in development or character", which can carry any of a wide array of connotations.

In farming or gardening, organic can refer to anything involving the use of fertilizers or pesticides that are strictly of animal or vegetable origin. Organic is also used to describe livestock that are raised without the use of drugs, hormones or synthetic chemicals ; examples of such things are "organic chicken" and "organic cattle farming."

Strictly, the term should be Non-Inorganic but this can often be clumsy.

Organic building materials refer to those that avoid use of petrochemical and other man-made materials (such as plywood, vinyl and fiberglass, instead using materials such as solid wood, linoleum, straw, adobe and cotton. These buildings may be intended to reduce problems with allergies.

It can mean serving organic food such as in an "organic restaurant".

It can mean a simple, healthful, and close to nature, an "organic lifestyle."

More correctly it means having properties associated with living organisms.

It can also mean that something constituting an integral part of a whole; fundamental.

In chemistry organic compounds means of, or designating, carbon compounds . See Organic chemistry.

A military unit predominantly of one type (armour, infantry, artillery, etc.) may incorporate subunits of a different type, to improve combined arms capability; such subunits are referred to as 'organic artillery', 'organic armour', etc. See Organic (military).