organum

O1R1G2A1N1U1M3
UK/ˈɔː.ɡə.nəm/US/ˈɔɹ.ɡə.nəm/

noun

A type of medieval polyphony which builds upon an existing plainsong.

OriginLatin organum ← Ancient Greek ὄργανον →
UncommonScrabble 10
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Meanings

nounorganum (countable and uncountable, plural organums or organa)

plural organums · plural organa

  1. countableuncountableentertainmentA type of medieval polyphony which builds upon an existing plainsong.
  2. archaiccountableuncountableA method by which philosophical or scientific investigation may be conducted.

    He [Francis Bacon] has given us an organum of a different origin and construction from that of Aristotle[…]

    1794, George Adams, Lectures on natural and experimental philosophy
    1 more example

    Another important circumstance respecting our transcendental esthetics is, that it does not insinuate itself merely as a plausible hypothesis, but is as certain and indubitable as we can require any theory to be in order to serve as an organum.

    1823, Thomas Wirgman, An Entirely New, Complete and Permanent Science of Philosophy

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
organon

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekὄργανον“organ, instrument, tool”
  2. Latinorganum
  3. Englishorganum

Borrowed from Latin organum, itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek ὄργανον (órganon, “organ, instrument, tool”). Doublet of organ, organon, and orgue.

More words from Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Italian diafonia
  • diafoniatype of medieval polyphony
Cite this entry
APA

organum. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/organum

MLA

“organum.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/organum. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “organum,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/organum.

Source: organum on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.