anorganic

8.1

Not made from plants or animals

adjective
/ˌænɔrˈgænɪk/

: inorgánico

Many rocks are considered anorganic because they do not originate from any living organisms.

Examples

The scientist observed an anorganic structure that formed in the minerals over time.
In chemistry, substances that are classified as anorganic are typically devoid of carbon compounds.
He connects this stuttering abstract not with dying or heroic self-extinction but with a strange anorganic vitality able to see in "dead" moments other new ways of proceeding.

Academic text (2003)

Synonyms

inorganic

vsanorganic

Specialized

13 4.7

Not made from living things and not containing carbon, for example rocks or glass

is the general term without the chemical focus on carbon

abiotic

vsanorganic

Specialized

1 6.7

Not living parts of an environment, like sunlight and temperature

denotes origin from nonliving matter, not environmental conditions or factors

nonbiological

vsanorganic

Specialized

1 5.1

A thing not made from living things, for example plastic

focuses on origin from living matter rather than relation to life processes

abiological

vsanorganic

Specialized

9.3

Not made by or connected to living things

refers to nonliving composition rather than only origin or production

Surface Forms

anorganic positive

Morphology

anorganic = organic (transparent) = an + organic

Meaning is directly formed by applying the negative prefix 'an-' to 'organic', producing 'not organic'; although 'inorganic' is the more common antonym, the morphological relation is clear.

Etymology

The word anorganic comes from the prefix an- meaning 'not' and the word organic, which means 'from living things', as in 'organic food'. So, anorganic means 'not from living matter', like rocks or minerals rather than plants or animals.