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autotroph

 - 4 dictionary results

au⋅to⋅troph

  [aw-tuh-trof, -trohf]
Use autotroph in a Sentence
–noun Biology.
any organism capable of self-nourishment by using inorganic materials as a source of nutrients and using photosynthesis or chemosynthesis as a source of energy, as most plants and certain bacteria and protists.
Compare heterotroph.

Origin:
1935–40; back formation from autotrophic; see auto- 1 , trophic

Related forms:
au⋅to⋅troph⋅ic, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To autotroph
au·to·troph   (ô'tə-trŏf', -trōf')   
n.  An organism capable of synthesizing its own food from inorganic substances, using light or chemical energy. Green plants, algae, and certain bacteria are autotrophs.
au'to·troph'ic (-trŏf'ĭk, -trō'fĭk) adj., au'to·troph'i·cal·ly adv., au·tot'ro·phy (ô-tŏt'rə-fē) n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: au·to·troph
Pronunciation: 'ot-&-"trOf, -"träf
Function: noun
: an autotrophic organism
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

autotroph au·to·troph (ô'tə-trŏf', -trōf')
n.
An organism capable of synthesizing its own food from inorganic substances using light or chemical energy. Green plants, algae, and certain bacteria are autotrophs.

au'to·troph'ic (-trŏf'ĭk, -trō'fĭk) adj.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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