aphotic

[ ey-foh-tik ]
See synonyms for aphotic on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. lightless; dark.

Origin of aphotic

1
First recorded in 1900–05; a-6 + photic

Words Nearby aphotic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for aphotic

aphotic

/ (əˈfɒtɪk) /


adjective
  1. characterized by or growing in the absence of light: an aphotic plant

  2. of or relating to the zone of an ocean below that to which sunlight can penetrate, usually about 90m (300 ft). This is the lowest level at which photosynthesis can take place

Origin of aphotic

1
C20: from a- 1 + -photic, from Greek phōs light

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for aphotic

aphotic

[ ā-fōtĭk ]


  1. Having no light.

  2. Relating to the region of a body of water that is not reached by sunlight and in which photosynthesis is unable to occur. Compare photic.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.