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prototrophic

American  
[proh-tuh-trof-ik, -troh-fik] / ˌproʊ təˈtrɒf ɪk, -ˈtroʊ fɪk /

adjective

  1. (especially of certain bacteria) requiring only inorganic substances for growth.

  2. (of certain microorganisms) requiring no specific nutriments for growth.

prototrophic British  
/ ˌprəʊtəˈtrɒfɪk /

adjective

  1. (esp of bacteria) feeding solely on inorganic matter

  2. (of cultured bacteria, fungi, etc) having no specific nutritional requirements

"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 prototrophic

First recorded in 1895–1900; proto- + -trophic

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.