Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun An organism capable of synthesizing its own food from inorganic substances, using light or chemical energy. Green plants, algae, and certain bacteria are autotrophs.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun an organism which is
autotrophic , i. e., an organism (such as most plants and certain microorganisms) which are capable of synthesizing its own food from simple organic substances, requiring only minerals as nutrients for growth, and using carbonate or carbon dioxide as a source of carbon and simple inorganic nitrogen as a nitrogen source; the energy required is derived from photosynthesis or chemosynthesis. Opposed toheterotroph . See alsoauxotroph .
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun biology Any
organism that cansynthesize itsfood frominorganic substances, usingheat orlight as a source ofenergy
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun plant capable of synthesizing its own food from simple organic substances
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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M. jannaschii is an autotroph, meaning that it generates all its energy from inorganic substances.
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M. jannaschii is an autotroph, meaning that it generates all its energy from inorganic substances.
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M. jannaschii is an autotroph, meaning that it generates all its energy from inorganic substances.
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Thus, the species is an autotroph, meaning that it can obtain its own food from the conversion of light or chemical energy.
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Thus, the species is an autotroph, meaning that it can obtain its own food from the conversion of light or chemical energy.
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Thus, the species is an autotroph, meaning that it can obtain its own food from the conversion of light or chemical energy.
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Thus, the species is an autotroph, meaning that it can obtain its own food from the conversion of light or chemical energy.
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Thus, the species is an autotroph, meaning that it can obtain its own food from the conversion of light or chemical energy.
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Thus, the species is an autotroph, meaning that it can obtain its own food from the conversion of light or chemical energy.
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Thus, the species is an autotroph, meaning that it can obtain its own food from the conversion of light or chemical energy.
qms commented on the word autotroph
I checked it out on Wikipedia
And other reliable media
So safely I'll scoff
At the smug autotroph
Extolling the joys of inedia.
See also breatharian and comments at photovore.
September 9, 2016
bilby commented on the word autotroph
Useful superpower.
July 4, 2022