organization
This term carries a dual identity, shifting between a concrete entity and an abstract process. When referring to a group of people, it suggests a formal structure with a defined hierarchy and a collective mission, often implying a level of officialdom or institutional stability that distinguishes it from a casual club or a loose gathering. In its abstract sense, the word describes the imposition of order upon chaos. It evokes the mental or physical act of systematizing components to achieve efficiency. While the noun is generally countable when referring to an institution, it becomes uncountable when describing the general quality of being organized or the systemic arrangement of a biological or mechanical structure.
Meanings
An organized body of people with a particular purpose, such as a business, government agency, or non-profit group.
"The international organization works to promote peace and security."
Examples
The non-profit organization provides clean water to rural villages.
The organization of the conference took several months of planning.
Scientists studied the complex molecular organization of the protein.
Collocations & Compounds
non-profit organization
Noun collocation: a group formed for a charitable purpose rather than for profit
The non-profit organization provides free meals to the homeless.
government organization
Noun collocation: an agency or body managed by the state
The government organization oversees environmental regulations.
organizational structure
Noun collocation: the hierarchical arrangement of roles and responsibilities within a group
The company is redesigning its organizational structure to improve communication.
Idioms & Sayings
a well-oiled organization
an entity that functions efficiently and smoothly
The logistics company is a well-oiled organization that rarely misses a deadline.
Etymology
Derived from the French word organisation, which stems from the Latin root organum, meaning an instrument or tool. The term evolved from the Greek organon, referring to a physical organ or a means of performing a task, eventually shifting in the 17th century to describe the act of arranging parts into a functional system and later to denote a structured social entity.