Meaning & use
saprophytic
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivenot comparabletechnicalbiology
Of an organism: getting nutrients by breaking down dead or decaying organic matter.
Grammar: Not usually compared; it describes a type of organism, not a degree.
Patterns
- saprophytic fungi
- saprophytic bacteria
- a saprophytic plant
Mushrooms are saprophytic and grow on fallen leaves and dead wood.
The saprophytic bacteria in the soil break down plant remains.
Some orchids are saprophytic and live on decaying matter rather than photosynthesizing.
Common combinations
- saprophytic fungi
- Saprophytic fungi recycle nutrients in the forest.
- saprophytic bacteria
- Saprophytic bacteria help decompose organic waste.
- saprophytic nutrition
- Saprophytic nutrition is common in fungi.
- a saprophytic organism
- A saprophytic organism feeds on dead material.
Synonyms and how they differ
- saprobic
- A more technical term used especially in ecology for organisms living on decaying matter.
Opposites
Word family
- saprophyte noun
- An organism that feeds on dead or decaying matter.
- saprophytism noun
- The way of life of a saprophyte.
Commonly confused: saprophytic or parasitic?
saprophytic vs parasitic
Parasitic organisms feed on living hosts, while saprophytic ones feed on dead matter.
Practice
A plant is described as saprophytic. What does it do?
Choose one answer.
Saprophytic means feeding on dead or decaying matter, so B is correct. A describes photosynthesis, C describes a parasite, and D describes a succulent adaptation.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “saprophytic”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.