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phototaxis

American

[foh-tuh-tak-sis] / ˌfoʊ təˈtæk sɪs /

Or phototaxy

noun

Biology.

movement of an organism toward or away from a source of light.

phototaxis British

/ ˌfəʊtəʊˈtæksɪs, ˌfəʊtəʊˈtæktɪk /

noun

the movement of an entire organism in response to 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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of phototaxis

First recorded in 1900–05; photo- + -taxis

Example Sentences

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See Examples For:

phototaxis

For example, movement toward light, termed phototaxis, is accomplished by coupling their locomotion strategy with a light-sensing organ.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015

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