metatrophic

[ met-uh-trof-ik, -troh-fik ]
/ ˌmɛt əˈtrɒf ɪk, -ˈtroʊ fɪk /

adjective

requiring dead organic matter for food.

Origin of metatrophic

First recorded in 1895–1900; meta- + trophic

OTHER WORDS FROM metatrophic

met·a·troph [met-uh-trof, -trawf] /ˈmɛt əˌtrɒf, -ˌtrɔf/, noun me·tat·ro·phy [muh-ta-truh-fee] /məˈtæ trə fi/, noun

Example sentences from the Web for metatrophic

  • It is very probable that anarobes, exclusive of a few nitrogen absorbers, are metatrophic for all the elements they utilize.

    The Fundamentals of Bacteriology |Charles Bradfield Morrey

Medical definitions for metatrophic

metatrophic
[ mĕt′ə-trŏfĭk, -trōfĭk ]

adj.

Of or relating to the ability to undertake anabolism.
Of or relating to the ability to obtain nourishment from varied sources, as from nitrogenous and carbonaceous organic matter.