different between organism vs changeling

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ??????? (órganon, “tool, instrument”), from Proto-Indo-European *wer?- (“work”). This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Pronunciation

• enPR: ôr?g?n?z?m
• (UK) IPA^(key): /???.??n.?.z?m/
• (US) IPA^(key): /???.??n.?.z?m/

Noun

organism (plural organisms)

1. (biology) A discrete and complete living thing, such as animal, plant, fungus or microorganism.
2. (by extension) Any complex thing with properties normally associated with living things.

Hyponyms

• See also Thesaurus:organism

Derived terms

• free-living organism
• organismal
• organismic

Translations

Anagrams

• moringas, roamings, sinogram

Romanian

Etymology

From French organisme

Noun

organism n (plural organisme)

1. organism

Declension

English

Etymology

The noun is derived from change +? -ling (suffix with the sense ‘immature; small’). Sense 6 (“idiot, simpleton”) is from the idea that foolish children had been left by magical creatures (sense 1).

The adjective is derived from the noun.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?t?e?n(d)?l??/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?t??e?nd??l??/
• Hyphenation: change?ling

Noun

changeling (plural changelings)

1. (European folklore, also figuratively) In pre-modern European folklore: an infant of a magical creature that was secretly exchanged for a human infant. In British, Irish and Scandinavian mythology the exchanged infants were thought to be those of fairies, sprites or trolls; in other places, they were ascribed to demons, devils, or witches.

   Synonyms: auf, (both obsolete) oaf
2. (by extension) A person or object (especially when regarded as inferior) secretly exchanged for something else.
3. (by extension, informal, rare) An infant secretly exchanged with another infant deliberately or by mistake; a swapling.
4. (fantasy, science fiction) An organism which can change shape to mimic others; a shape-shifter.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:shape-shifter

5. (archaic, also figuratively) A person apt to change their loyalty or thinking; a waverer.

   Synonym: turncoat
6. (obsolete) An idiot, a simpleton.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:idiot

Translations

Adjective

changeling (comparative more changeling, superlative most changeling)

1. (archaic, rare) Changeable, fickle, inconstant, wavering.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:changeable

References

Further reading

• changeling on Wikipedia.Wikipedia