1.
[syn: autotrophic, autophytic]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
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 in which photosynthetic activity takes
place, and certain bacteria. It is opposed to parasitism or
saprophytism.
[Webster 1913 Suppl. + WordNet 1.5]
2. of or pertaining to an autotroph.
[WordNet 1.5]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
autotrophic
adj 1: of or relating to organisms (as green plants) that can
make complex organic nutritive compounds from simple
inorganic sources by photosynthesis [syn: autotrophic,
autophytic] [ant: heterotrophic]