organization

IPA/ˌɔːɡənaɪˈzeɪʃn/
KK[ˌɔrɡənəzˈeʃən]IPA/ˌɔːrɡənəˈzeɪʃn/

organization — noun

  • organizationsingular
  • organizationsplural

1. a company, charity, club, or other group that people form to work together for a

1.nounB1
Definition

a company, charity, club, or other group that people form to work together for a particular purpose

Example

The organization sends doctors to small islands after big storms.

organization + sends help

Mina joined a local arts organization during her first year at college.

join an organization

Common collocations
  • local organization
  • international organization
  • charity organization
  • animal rescue organization
Synonyms
  • group

    the broad everyday word; it can be much less formal or structured

  • association

    often used for a formal body whose members share an interest or profession

  • institution

    usually suggests a larger and more established body

  • agency

    often means a body that provides a specific service or carries out a task

Grammar Patterns

join an organization

work for an organization

an international organization

Usage Note

Often used with words like local, national, charity, or international. Distinguish from sense 2: here the word names the group itself, not the planning of an event or activity.

Common Mistakes

The organization of the concert gave us refunds.
The organization behind the concert gave us refunds.
In sense 1, organization is the group; organization of the concert means the planning process in sense 2.

2. the work of preparing and managing an event or activity so that it happens smoot

2.nounB1
Definition

the work of preparing and managing an event or activity so that it happens smoothly

Example

The organization of the festival took months of phone calls and meetings.

organization of + event

Good organization saved the school trip when the bus arrived late.

good organization

Common collocations
  • careful organization
  • poor organization
  • event organization
  • organization of the festival
Synonyms
  • planning

    focuses on deciding what will happen before the event

  • arrangement

    can refer to one part of the planning or the final set of plans

  • preparation

    a broader word for getting ready, not only planning

  • management

    can stress controlling the event while it is happening

Antonyms
  • chaos

    an everyday opposite when an event is badly planned and confusing

Grammar Patterns

the organization of an event

good organization

poor organization

Usage Note

Usually uncountable. Common in the pattern organization of + event or activity. Distinguish from sense 1, which refers to the people or body, and from sense 3, which is about structure rather than event planning.

Common Mistakes

The organization are meeting in Room 4 about the concert.
The organizers are meeting in Room 4 about the concert.
In sense 2, organization means the planning work, not the people, so it does not take a plural verb.

3. the ordered way that ideas, information, or parts are put together so they are e

3.nounC1
Definition

the ordered way that ideas, information, or parts are put together so they are easy to understand or use

Example

The book's clear organization helps students find each topic quickly.

clear organization of a book

Poor organization in the report made the main point hard to follow.

poor organization in a report

Common collocations
  • clear organization
  • poor organization
  • organization of information
  • organization of the report
Synonyms
  • structure

    often stresses the way parts fit together

  • layout

    often used for the visible arrangement on a page or in a space

  • order

    a simpler word for things being arranged properly

  • system

    can suggest a more fixed method or set of rules

Antonyms
  • disorder

    suggests a lack of clear structure or arrangement

Grammar Patterns

clear organization

poor organization in a report

the organization of information

Usage Note

Common with nouns like book, report, website, file, notes, or room. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense describes structure or layout, not the planning work behind an event.

Common Mistakes

The organization of the essay spoke to our class.
The student club spoke to our class.
In sense 3, organization is the structure of something such as an essay, not a group of people.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

For sense 1, organization is useful when you mean a formal body with a clear purpose and some structure. Group is the broad everyday word and can mean any set of people, even a few friends standing together. Association often suggests a club or professional body whose members share an interest. Institution usually sounds larger, older, and more established, such as a school, bank, or museum. Agency often means a body that carries out a specific service or task, especially in government, travel, or advertising. You can say She works for an international aid organization, but a few parents outside the gate are just a group, not an organization.

organization ↗group ↗association ↗institution ↗agency ↗

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

Organization came into English from French organisation. It is related to organize, which goes back through Latin to Greek organon, meaning a tool or instrument. From that older idea of parts working together for a use, English developed organization for both a body of people and an ordered arrangement of parts or plans.

First known use

15th century

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Adjective