photoautotroph

English

Etymology

photo- (from the combining form φωτω- (phōtō-) of Ancient Greek φῶς (phôs, “light”)) +‎ autotroph, from auto- (from Ancient Greek αὐτο- (auto-, “self-”)) +‎ -troph (from Ancient Greek τροφή (trophḗ, “nourishment”))

Noun

photoautotroph (plural photoautotrophs)

1. (biochemistry, organic chemistry) an organism, such as all green plants, that can synthesize its own food from inorganic material using light as a source of energy

Derived terms

• photoautotrophic
• picophotoautotroph

See also

• photosynthesis