organic matter

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It was a tale about organic matter, the sound and smell of silk, wool and cotton, their inevitable decay a result of skin secretions, chemicals, light and time.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026

Fires that start below the surface often begin spontaneously, as organic matter decomposes and creates heat, fueled by oxygen that sneaks in through the cracks.

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

"We think we're looking at organic matter that's been preserved on Mars for 3.5 billion years," said Williams, who helped develop the experiment.

From Science Daily • Apr. 28, 2026

The Appalachian springsnail is basically a tiny aquatic cow that mows over algae and other organic matter, sucking them up and extracting whatever nutrients it can.

From Slate • Apr. 27, 2026

Second, when gases from Earth were introduced into the Martian soil sample, the gases became chemically combined with the soil—almost as if there were photosynthesizing microbes, generating organic matter from atmospheric gases.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan