autotrophic
- 1. Self-nourishing. The ability of an organism to produce food from inorganic compounds. 2. Pertaining to an autotroph.
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au·to·tro·phic .ȯt-ə-'trō-fik adj1) needing only carbon dioxide or carbonates as a source of carbon and a simple inorganic nitrogen compound for metabolic synthesis2) not requiring a specified exogenous factor for normal metabolismau·to·tro·phi·cal·ly -fi-k(ə-)lē adv* * *
adj.describing organisms (known as autotrophs) that synthesize their organic materials from carbon dioxide and nitrates or ammonium compounds, using an external source of energy. Photoautotrophic organisms, including green plants and some bacteria, derive their energy from sunlight; chemoautotrophic (or chemosynthetic) organisms obtain energy from inorganic chemical reactions. All autotrophic bacteria are nonparasitic. Compare heterotrophic.* * *
au·to·tro·phic (aw″to-troґfik) [auto- + -trophic] self-sustaining; said of a type of nutrition in which organisms are capable of synthesizing organic molecules as nutritive substances. Cf. heterotrophic.
Medical dictionary. 2011.
Look at other dictionaries:
Autotrophic — Au to*troph ic, a. [Auto + trophic.] (Plant Physiol.) Capable of self nourishment; requiring only minerals for growth; using carbonate or carbon dioxide as a source of carbon and simple inorganic nitrogen as a nitrogen source; said of all plants… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
autotrophic — [ôt΄ō träf′ik] adj. 〚 AUTO + TROPHIC〛 making its own food by photosynthesis, as a green plant does, or by chemosynthesis, as any of certain bacteria do: cf. HETEROTROPHIC autotroph [ôt΄ōträf΄] n … Universalium
autotrophic — [ôt΄ō träf′ik] adj. [ AUTO + TROPHIC] making its own food by photosynthesis, as a green plant does, or by chemosynthesis, as any of certain bacteria do: cf. HETEROTROPHIC autotroph [ôt΄ōträf΄] n. autotrophically adv … English World dictionary
autotrophic — adjective Etymology: probably from German autotroph, from Greek autotrophos supplying one s own food, from aut + trephein to nourish Date: 1893 1. requiring only carbon dioxide or carbonates as a source of carbon and a simple inorganic nitrogen… … New Collegiate Dictionary
autotrophic — lithotrophic; adj. describing organisms (known as autotrophs) that synthesize their organic materials from carbon dioxide and nitrates or ammonium compounds, using an external source of energy. Photoautotrophic organisms, including green plants… … The new mediacal dictionary
autotrophic — adj. [Gr. autos, self; trophein, to nourish] Capable of synthesizing all substances needed for nutrition from inorganic food substances; see heterotroph … Dictionary of invertebrate zoology
autotrophic — adjective Of or pertaining to the production of organic compounds from carbon dioxide as a carbon source, using either light or reactions of inorganic chemical compounds, as a source of energy … Wiktionary
autotrophic — adj. able to synthesize food (Biology) … English contemporary dictionary
autotrophic — au·to·troph·ic … English syllables
autotrophic — /ɔtəˈtrɒfɪk/ (say awtuh trofik), / ˈtroʊfɪk/ (say trohfik) adjective (of an organism) independent of an external source of organic carbon for provision of material for obtaining energy, being able to manufacture it entirely from inorganic… … Australian English dictionary
