organically
/ɔːˈɡænɪkli/ (bre, ipa) · /ɔːrˈɡænɪkli/ (ame, ipa) · /-k(ə)lē -li/ (ame, mw)
organically — adverb
1. using farming methods that avoid artificial chemicals when growing crops or rais
using farming methods that avoid artificial chemicals when growing crops or raising animals
Meera's family grows tomatoes organically on a small hill farm outside Tainan.
pattern: grow organically
The cafe buys organically raised eggs from a nearby farm every Friday.
collocation: organically raised eggs
After the soil test, Felix switched to organically grown rice for school lunches.
Isabela sells organically farmed tea leaves at the weekend market.
- using organic methods
more explicit, but longer and less natural inside a sentence
- without pesticides
focuses on chemical absence, but says less about the full farming system
- conventionally
describes standard farming that may use synthetic chemicals
- chemically
emphasises the use of artificial substances rather than organic methods
文法句型
grow organically
organically grown + noun
organically raised + noun
用法筆記
Usually modifies verbs about farming and food production, or past participles such as 'grown', 'raised', and 'farmed'. Distinguish from sense 4, which focuses on material coming from living things rather than on the farming method.
常見錯誤
2. taking shape by itself over time instead of through outside pressure or careful
taking shape by itself over time instead of through outside pressure or careful planning
The friendship developed organically after Meera and Naoko shared the night shift.
collocation: developed organically
No one wrote a plan; the volunteer group formed organically after the flood.
contrast: no plan + formed organically
As the class talked, a better idea emerged organically from their notes.
Over several months, the garden path curved organically around the old tree.
- naturally
broader and less focused on gradual development inside a situation
- gradually
emphasises slow stages, even when each stage was planned
- spontaneously
suggests an immediate unplanned action, not a longer unfolding process
- deliberately
shows that people planned or directed the process on purpose
- artificially
suggests an unnatural process created from the outside
文法句型
develop organically
form organically
emerge organically
用法筆記
Often appears with verbs such as 'develop', 'grow', 'form', and 'emerge'. Distinguish from sense 5, which stresses connected design, while this sense stresses an unforced process.
常見錯誤
3. through a company's own sales and new customers, rather than by buying other bus
through a company's own sales and new customers, rather than by buying other businesses
The bakery expanded organically by opening one new shop each summer.
business pattern: expanded organically
Investors liked that the company was growing organically instead of chasing takeovers.
contrast: organically vs takeovers
Jabari said the brand reached Korea organically before it hired local staff.
The clinic built its customer base organically through referrals from nearby schools.
- internally
close in meaning, but less fixed as a business growth term
- from within
stresses internal development, but sounds more general and less technical
- through acquisitions
growth achieved by buying other companies
- by takeover
focuses on expansion through control of another business
文法句型
grow organically
expand organically
build organically
用法筆記
Used in business and finance writing with verbs like 'grow', 'expand', and 'build'. It excludes growth that comes from mergers, acquisitions, or buying competitors.
常見錯誤
4. through material taken from plants or animals instead of from minerals or man-ma
through material taken from plants or animals instead of from minerals or man-made substances
The soap is colored organically with powder from dried flowers.
pattern: colored organically with + source
Gabriel's lab tested whether the dye was made organically from insect shells.
collocation: made organically from
The museum showed how early ink was produced organically from tree bark.
The chef thickened the sauce organically with seaweed instead of factory powder.
- biologically
more technical and often focuses on living processes, not just source material
- from natural sources
clear and accurate, but less compact than 'organically'
- synthetically
means made by chemical or industrial methods rather than from living material
- mineral-based
points to a non-living source rather than a plant or animal source
文法句型
made organically from + material
produced organically from + source
用法筆記
Mainly used in scientific, product, or historical descriptions of where a material comes from. Distinguish from sense 1, which is about food-production methods rather than the source substance itself.
5. with separate parts linked so they function together as one whole
with separate parts linked so they function together as one whole
The architect blended the new library organically into the old market street.
pattern: blend organically into
Aylin wove family stories organically into the final chapter of her novel.
pattern: weave organically into
The teacher connected art and science organically during the museum project.
Good planners let new ideas fit organically within the original design.
- seamlessly
stresses smooth fit, but not always the idea of an interdependent whole
- coherently
focuses on logical clarity more than natural integration
- integrally
formal and stronger on essential connection inside a whole
- awkwardly
shows that parts do not fit together smoothly
- separately
keeps parts apart instead of joining them into one whole
文法句型
blend organically into
fit organically within
weave organically into
用法筆記
Often appears with verbs such as 'blend', 'weave', 'fit', and 'connect'. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about an unforced process over time, while this sense is about parts working together inside a structure or design.