English Dictionary |
AUTOTROPHIC
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IPA (US): |
Dictionary entry overview: What does autotrophic mean?
• AUTOTROPHIC (adjective)
The adjective AUTOTROPHIC has 1 sense:
1. of or relating to organisms (as green plants) that can make complex organic nutritive compounds from simple inorganic sources by photosynthesis
Familiarity information: AUTOTROPHIC used as an adjective is very rare.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
Of or relating to organisms (as green plants) that can make complex organic nutritive compounds from simple inorganic sources by photosynthesis
Classified under:
Relational adjectives (pertainyms)
Synonyms:
autophytic; autotrophic
Domain category:
botany; phytology (the branch of biology that studies plants)
Antonym:
heterotrophic (requiring organic compounds of carbon and nitrogen for nourishment)
Pertainym:
autotroph (plant capable of synthesizing its own food from simple organic substances)
Context examples
Although arginine is a nonessential amino acid for normal human cells, certain cancer cells are autotrophic for arginine and need arginine in order to survive.
(Pegylated arginine deiminase, NCI Thesaurus)
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