AUTOTROPHIC

adjective Etymology: probably from German autotroph, from Greek autotrophos supplying one's own food, from aut- + trephein to nourish Date: 1893 requiring only carbon dioxide or carbonates as a source of carbon and a simple inorganic nitrogen compound for metabolic synthesis of organic molecules (as glucose) , not requiring a specified exogenous factor for normal metabolism, ~ally adverb autotrophy noun