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organism
/ˈɔː.ɡən.ɪ.zəm/
In most cases, this word refers to living things like bacteria, plants, or animals. It is a neutral term used in both scientific and everyday conversation. When used to describe a system (like a city or an organization), it is a metaphor. This means the speaker is comparing a non-living thing to a living creature because it has many connected parts working together.
💬Casual Conversation
🎬Tuesday afternoon; Victoria is in a board meeting while Mr. Sterling is at his private gym.
Mr. Sterling
The firm isn't a company, Victoria. It's a living organism.
Victoria
Right. Well this 'organism' is bleeding cash because of your new retreat policy.
💡
Mr. Sterling uses the word 'organism' as a philosophical metaphor for the company structure. Victoria counters his abstraction with the idiom 'bleeding cash', meaning losing money rapidly, highlighting their dynamic of eccentric idealism versus harsh corporate reality.