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metatrophic

[met-uh-trof-ik, -troh-fik]
adjective
  1. requiring dead organic matter for food.
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Origin of metatrophic

First recorded in 1895–1900; meta- + trophic
Related formsmet·a·troph [met-uh-trof, -trawf] /ˈmɛt əˌtrɒf, -ˌtrɔf/, nounme·tat·ro·phy [muh-ta-truh-fee] /məˈtæ trə fi/, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for metatrophic

Historical Examples

  • It is very probable that anarobes, exclusive of a few nitrogen absorbers, are metatrophic for all the elements they utilize.

    The Fundamentals of Bacteriology

    Charles Bradfield Morrey

metatrophic in Medicine

metatrophic

(mĕt′ə-trŏf′ĭk, -trō′fĭk)
adj.
  1. Of or relating to the ability to undertake anabolism.
  2. Of or relating to the ability to obtain nourishment from varied sources, as from nitrogenous and carbonaceous organic matter.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.