nongovernmental organization
nongovernmental organization. Int’l law. Any scientific, professional, business, or public-interest organization that is neither affiliated with nor under the direction of a government; an international organization that is not the creation of an agreement among countries, but rather is composed of private individuals or organizations. • Examples of nongovernmental organizations, which are often granted consultative status with the United Nations, include Amnesty International, Greenpeace, and the International Committee of the Red Cross. — Abbr. NGO.