lithophyte

[ lith-uh-fahyt ]

noun
  1. Zoology. a polyp with a hard or stony structure, as a coral.

  2. Botany. any plant growing on the surface of rocks.

Origin of lithophyte

1
First recorded in 1765–75; litho- + -phyte

Other words from lithophyte

  • lith·o·phyt·ic [lith-uh-fit-ik], /ˌlɪθ əˈfɪt ɪk/, adjective

Words Nearby lithophyte

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How to use lithophyte in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lithophyte

lithophyte

/ (ˈlɪθəˌfaɪt) /


noun
  1. a plant that grows on rocky or stony ground

  2. an organism, such as a coral, that is partly composed of stony material

Derived forms of lithophyte

  • lithophytic (ˌlɪθəˈfɪtɪk), adjective

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 lithophyte

lithophyte

[ lĭthə-fīt′ ]


  1. A plant that grows on rock and derives its nourishment chiefly from the atmosphere.

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