holozoic

American

[hol-uh-zoh-ik, hoh-luh-] / ˌhɒl əˈzoʊ ɪk, ˌhoʊ lə- /

adjective

Biology.

feeding on solid food particles in the manner of most animals.

holozoic British

/ ˌhɒləˈzəʊɪk /

adjective

(of animals) obtaining nourishment by feeding on plants or other animals

"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

Etymology

Origin of holozoic

1880–85; holo- + -zoic < Greek zōikós of animals, equivalent to zō ( ḗ ) life + -ikos -ic

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Chromatophores may or may not be present and food-taking is holozoic, in many cases at least.

From Marine Protozoa from Woods Hole Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission 21:415-468, 1901 by Calkins, Gary N. (Gary Nathan)

Nutrition is holozoic, a deep groove leading down to a mouth and pharynx.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 8 "Cube" to "Daguerre, Louis" by Various

Bilaterally symmetrical, often creeping, pharynx highly developed, with a firm rod-like skeleton, sometimes protrusible; nutrition saprophytic and holozoic.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 4 "Finland" to "Fleury, Andre" by Various

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023