phototaxis

Or pho·to·tax·y

[foh-tuh-tak-sis]

noun

Biology.

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

phototaxis

/ ˌfəʊtəʊˈtæksɪs, ˌfəʊtəʊˈtæktɪk /

noun

1. the movement of an entire organism in response to light

Other Word Forms

• phototactic adjective
• phototactically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of phototaxis¹

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

Example Sentences

When the dark and gray recede, it sometimes seems as if the city has turned into a giant experiment in positive phototaxis, every organism drawn inexorably toward the light.

Read more on New York Times

Phototaxis drew flies out of the elevator.

Read more on Nature