Autotroph

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  autotroph \autotroph\ n.
     an organism which is {autotrophic}, i. e., an organism (such
     as most plants and certain microorganisms) which are capable
     of synthesizing its own food from simple organic substances,
     requiring only minerals as nutrients for growth, and using
     carbonate or carbon dioxide as a source of carbon and simple


     inorganic nitrogen as a nitrogen source; the energy required
     is derived from photosynthesis or chemosynthesis. Opposed to
     {heterotroph}. See also {auxotroph}.
  
     Syn: autophyte, autophytic plant, autotrophic organism.
          [WordNet 1.5 + PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  autotroph
       n : plant capable of synthesizing its own food from simple
           organic substances [syn: {autophyte}, {autophytic plant},
            {autotrophic organism}]