organism
Any life form
An organism is any living thing—plant, animal, bacterium, fungus, or other life form capable of growth, reproduction, and response to its environment.
The word emphasizes the entity as a whole system: The human body is a complex organism.
Extended to organizations or social structures viewed as unified wholes: The company functioned as a single organism.
Finest taxonomic rank
- taxonomyScience of categorical arrangement
- geneticsScience of hereditary transmission
- morphologyStudy of structural forms
- anatomyStudy of organism structure
physiology · metabolism · reproduction · adaptation · homeostasis · genotype · phenotype · cell
Living, sentient entity
- beingExisting as something
- entityIndependent existing thing
- microbeMicroscopic living organism
- bacteriumSingle-celled prokaryotic life
virus · fungus · plant · animal · protist · archaea · plankton · amoeba
Differential reproductive success
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- speciationFormation of distinct species
- phylogenyEvolutionary relationships among organisms
- mutationPermanent DNA alteration
ancestry · fossil record · common ancestor · divergence · convergence · descent · heredity · fitness
Organism's natural environment
- ecosystemInterconnected organisms and surroundings
- nicheRecessed wall space
- biomeMajor ecological community
- populationAll inhabitants combined
community · symbiosis · predation · parasitism · mutualism · commensalism · competition · decomposer
Range of life forms
- variationChange from a norm
- floraPlants of a region
- faunaAnimal life collectively
- biotaRegional living organisms
endemic · exotic · classification · kingdom · phylum · genus · family · order
Study of organism structure
- morphologyStudy of structural forms
- tissueDisposable soft paper
- cell wallRigid cellular outer layer
- membraneThin tissue sheet
skeleton · exoskeleton · endoskeleton · appendage · limb · segmentation · symmetry · bilateral
Life in harsh conditions
- tardigradeMicroscopic resilient eight-legged animal
- biosignatureEvidence of living processes
- extraterrestrialBeing from outer space
- panspermiaLife spreads via space rocks
abiogenesis · habitability · exoplanet · microbial · thermophile · origin of life · biomarker
Progress toward maturity
- maturationProcess of becoming complete
- germinationSeed's initial growth phase
- metamorphosisProfound biological restructuring
- differentiationRecognizing meaningful differences
proliferation · regeneration · senescence · lifecycle · embryo · larva · juvenile · adult
species
Finest taxonomic rank
- taxonomyScience of categorical arrangement
- geneticsScience of hereditary transmission
- morphologyStudy of structural forms
anatomy · physiology · metabolism · reproduction · adaptation · homeostasis · genotype · phenotype · cell · DNA
creature
Living, sentient entity
bacterium · virus · fungus · plant · animal · protist · archaea · plankton · amoeba · paramecium
natural selection
Differential reproductive success
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- speciationFormation of distinct species
- phylogenyEvolutionary relationships among organisms
mutation · ancestry · fossil record · common ancestor · divergence · convergence · descent · heredity · fitness · survival
habitat
Organism's natural environment
- ecosystemInterconnected organisms and surroundings
- nicheRecessed wall space
- biomeMajor ecological community
population · community · symbiosis · predation · parasitism · mutualism · commensalism · competition · decomposer · producer
biodiversity
Range of life forms
biota · endemic · exotic · classification · kingdom · phylum · genus · family · order · class
anatomy
Study of organism structure
- morphologyStudy of structural forms
- tissueDisposable soft paper
- cell wallRigid cellular outer layer
membrane · skeleton · exoskeleton · endoskeleton · appendage · limb · segmentation · symmetry · bilateral · radial
extremophile
Life in harsh conditions
- tardigradeMicroscopic resilient eight-legged animal
- biosignatureEvidence of living processes
- extraterrestrialBeing from outer space
panspermia · abiogenesis · habitability · exoplanet · microbial · thermophile · origin of life · biomarker
development
Progress toward maturity
- maturationProcess of becoming complete
- germinationSeed's initial growth phase
- metamorphosisProfound biological restructuring
differentiation · proliferation · regeneration · senescence · lifecycle · embryo · larva · juvenile · adult · molting
- health organizationGroup overseeing public wellness
- organized crimeStructured illegal enterprise
- get organized
- parent-teacher organizationSchool-family liaison group
- civic organizationGroup promoting local welfare
- organic decayBiological material breaking down
organize, organized, organic, organization, inorganic, organist, organisms, organically