organization

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noun

British English pronunciation: organization

/ˌɔː(r)ɡənaɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/

singular	organization
plural	organizations

Other entries for this word

Related dictionary definitions

the World Trade Organization

Metaphor

1
[countable] a group of people who have a particular shared purpose or interest, for example a political party or charity
members of the human rights organization Amnesty International
a voluntary/charitable/aid organization
This is a non-profit organization that was founded in the 1980s to improve women's position in the workplace.
Police kept files on all the illegal paramilitary organizations.
the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of organization
2
[uncountable] the way in which the different parts of something are combined or arranged
scientists investigating the organization of the human brain
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of organization
1. a.
  the action or process of planning and arranging something
  Officials have asked for help with the organization of the local elections.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of organization

derived word

organizational

adjective

her excellent organizational skills

Metaphor: organization

Metaphor

An organization is like a body, and its different sections are like different parts of a body.

There are a number of national bodies that work in this area.
He is head of a large corporation.
They head up the overseas section.
The research arm/wing of the company was based in Palo Alto.
She served as the mouthpiece of the organization.
The public face of the corporation is environmentally friendly.
Only a skeleton staff worked during the holiday period.
These three departments form the backbone of our operation.
There were active cells in many villages along the border.
Who is the brains behind this initiative?

An organization is also like a building, where the powerful, important people are on the higher floors or in rooms with closed doors.

Entry-level jobs are never well-paid. ♦ You need to get in on the ground floor. ♦ A lot of women in the company have complained about the glass ceiling. ♦ This is the responsibility of people in high places. ♦ His diaries recorded life in the corridors of power. ♦ The decisions were made behind closed doors. ♦ If you ever do it again, you'll be out of the door.

➡ power, success

This is the British English definition of organization. View American English definition of organization.

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