Is water an organic compound?

Water is not an organic compound. An organic compound must contain one or more carbon atoms covalently bonded to atoms of other elements, such as hydrogen, oxygen, or nitrogen. Water only contains hydrogen and oxygen.

There are a few compounds which contain carbon that are not considered organic compounds. Those include carbides, carbonates, and cyanides. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, which presides over the classification and naming of organic compounds, was formed in 1919. It is also responsible for the standardization of atomic weights, the format of new chemical publications and commissioning the review of new publications.