prototrophic

[proh-tuh-trof-ik, -troh-fik]

adjective

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

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

Origin of prototrophic

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for prototrophic

Historical Examples of prototrophic

Thus arobes and facultative anarobes are prototrophic for O.
The Fundamentals of Bacteriology
Charles Bradfield Morrey
An organism which is capable of making use of an element in the free state is said to be prototrophic for that particular element.
The Fundamentals of Bacteriology
Charles Bradfield Morrey

British Dictionary definitions for prototrophic

prototrophic

adjective

(esp of bacteria) feeding solely on inorganic matter

(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