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Origin and history of organization

organization(n.)

early 15c., organisacioun, "organic structure, structure of the body or its parts;" also "act or process of organizing, arrangement of interdependent parts," from Medieval Latin organizationem (nominative organizatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of organizare, from Latin organum "instrument, organ" (see organ).

The sense of "that which is organized, a regularly constituted whole or aggregate" is attested by 1707; especially, by 1829, "an organized body of persons" (a society, corporation, club).

The meaning "system, establishment, constitution" is from 1873. Disparaging organization man, one who conforms his individuality to the organization he serves, is from the title of the 1956 book by American sociologist William H. Whyte (1917-1999). Related: Organizational.

also from early 15c.

Entries linking to organization

organ(n.)

a fusion of late Old English organe, and Old French orgene (12c.), both meaning "musical instrument," both from Latin organa, plural of organum "a musical instrument," from Greek organon "implement, tool for making or doing; musical instrument; organ of sense, organ of the body," literally "that with which one works," from PIE *werg-ano-, from root *werg- "to do."

Applied vaguely in late Old English to musical instruments; by late 14c. the sense of the word (singular and plural) narrowed to the instrument involving pipes sounded by means of compressed air supplied by a bellows and worked by means of keys, "The largest, the most complicated, and the noblest of musical instruments" (Century Dictionary). Augustine (c. 400) knew this as a specific sense of Latin organa.

The biological meaning "body part of a human or animal adapted to a certain function" is attested from late 14c., from a Medieval Latin sense of Latin organum.

Also attested from early 15c. as "a tool, an instrument." The broad, etymological sense of "that which performs some function" is attested in English from 1540s. It is by 1788 as "a medium, an instrument of communication."

Organ-grinder, "strolling musician who 'grinds' music on a barrel-organ" is attested by 1803.

organisation(n.)

chiefly British English spelling of organization. For spelling, see -ize. Related: Organisational.

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