Meaning & use
autotroph
An organism that produces its own food from inorganic substances, typically using sunlight or chemical energy.
See it in a sentence
Plants are autotrophs that convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis.
Certain bacteria near deep-sea vents are autotrophs that rely on chemical energy instead of sunlight.
A note on using this word
Autotroph is a biology term contrasted with heterotroph, an organism that must consume other organisms for energy.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
heterotroph
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