-trophic

¹ American  

1. a combining form with the meanings “having nutritional habits or requirements” of the kind specified by the initial element (autotrophic ), “affecting the activity of, maintaining” that specified (gonadotrophic ) (in this sense often interchangeable with-tropic ); also forming adjectives corresponding to nouns ending in -troph or -trophy (hypertrophic ).

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trophic ² American  

[trof-ik, troh-fik] / ˈtrɒf ɪk, ˈtroʊ fɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to nutrition; concerned in nutritive processes.

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trophic British  

/ ˈtrɒfɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to nutrition

   the trophic levels of a food chain

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trophic Scientific  

/ trŏf′ĭk /

1. Relating to the feeding habits of different organisms in a food chain or web.

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Usage

What does -trophic mean? The combining form -trophic is used like a suffix for a variety of meanings, including "having nutritional habits or requirements." In other words, the sense of -trophic specifies how an organism gets its nutrition or how it feeds.The combining form -trophic is also used as an adjective form of nouns ending with -troph or -trophy. In some cases, -trophic means "affecting the activity of, maintaining." In this sense, it is often synonymous with -tropic.The combining form -trophic is often used in scientific terms, especially in biology and anatomy. It comes from the Greek trophikós, meaning “pertaining to food.”Corresponding forms of -trophic combined to the beginning of words are tropho- and troph-.Want to know more? Read our Words That Use -troph, -trophy, tropho-, and troph- articles.

Other Word Forms

• trophically adverb

Etymology

Origin of -trophic¹

trophic

Origin of trophic¹

First recorded in 1870–75, trophic is from the Greek word trophikós pertaining to food. See tropho-, -ic

Example Sentences

Trophic levels describe an organism’s position in a food chain based on how it gets energy and nutrients.

From Science Daily

The discovery of predators operating at a seventh trophic level highlights just how rich and complex the Paja ecosystem once was.

From Science Daily

"These findings illuminate how marine ecosystems developed through intense trophic competition and shaped the diversity we see today," added Hans Larsson, co-author of the study and Professor in the Department of Biology.

From Science Daily

"Top of the food chains: an ecological network of the marine Paja Formation biota from the Early Cretaceous of Colombia reveals the highest trophic levels ever estimated" by Dirley Cortés and Hans Larsson, was published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.

From Science Daily

Investigations on phytoplankton are hereby most crucial, since changes at the basis of the food web can impact all higher trophic levels, all the way up to fisheries.

From Science Daily