Oregon grape
(Or"e*gon grape`) (Bot.) An evergreen species of barberry (Berberis Aquifolium), of Oregon
and California; also, its roundish, blue- black berries.
Oreide
(O"re*ide) n. See Oroide.
Oreodon
(O"re*o*don) n. [Gr. 'o`ros, -eos, mountain + 'odoy`s, 'odo`ntos, tooth.] (Paleon) A genus
of extinct herbivorous mammals, abundant in the Tertiary formation of the Rocky Mountains. It is more
or less related to the camel, hog, and deer.
Oreodont
(O"re*o*dont) a. (Paleon.) Resembling, or allied to, the genus Oreodon.
Oreographic
(O`re*o*graph"ic) a. Of or pertaining to oreography.
Oreography
(O`re*og"ra*phy) n. [Gr. 'o`ros, -eos, mountain + -graphy.] The science of mountains; orography.
Oreoselin
(O`re*os"e*lin) n. (Chem.) A white crystalline substance which is obtained indirectly from
the root of an umbelliferous plant and yields resorcin on decomposition.
Oreosoma
(||O`re*o*so"ma) n. pl. [NL., from Gr. 'o`ros, -eos, mountain + body.] (Zoöl.) A genus of
small oceanic fishes, remarkable for the large conical tubercles which cover the under surface.
Oreweed
(Ore"weed`) n. Same as Oarweed.
Orewood
(Ore"wood`) n. Same as Oarweed.
Orf
(Orf Or"fe) n. (Zoöl.) A bright-colored domesticated variety of the id. See Id.
Orfgild
(Orf"gild`) n. [AS. orf, yrfe, cattle, property + gild, gield, money, fine.] (O. Eng. Law) Restitution
for cattle; a penalty for taking away cattle. Cowell.
Orfray
(Or"fray) n. [F. orfraie. Cf. Osprey, Ossifrage.] (Zoöl.) The osprey. [Obs.] Holland.
Orfrays
(Or"frays) n. [OF. orfrais, F. orfroi; F. or gold + fraise, frise, fringe, ruff. See Fraise, and cf.
Auriphrygiate.] See Orphrey. [Obs.] Rom. of R.
Orgal
(Or"gal) n. (Chem.) See Argol. [Obs.]
Organ
(Or"gan) n. [L. organum, Gr. akin to work, and E. work: cf. F. organe. See Work, and cf. Orgue,
Orgy.]
1. An instrument or medium by which some important action is performed, or an important end accomplished; as,
legislatures, courts, armies, taxgatherers, etc., are organs of government.
2. (Biol.) A natural part or structure in an animal or a plant, capable of performing some special action
which is essential to the life or well- being of the whole; as, the heart, lungs, etc., are organs of animals; the
root, stem, foliage, etc., are organs of plants.
In animals the organs are generally made up of several tissues, one of which usually predominates, and
determines the principal function of the organ. Groups of organs constitute a system. See System.
3. A component part performing an essential office in the working of any complex machine; as, the cylinder,
valves, crank, etc., are organs of the steam engine.
4. A medium of communication between one person or body and another; as, the secretary of state is
the organ of communication between the government and a foreign power; a newspaper is the organ of
its editor, or of a party, sect, etc.
