chemoautotrophic

adjective

che·​mo·​au·​to·​tro·​phic ˌkē-mō-ˌȯ-tə-ˈtrō-fik How to pronounce chemoautotrophic (audio)
 also  ˌke-
: being autotrophic and oxidizing an inorganic compound as a source of energy
chemoautotrophic bacteria
chemoautotrophy
ˌkē-mō-ȯ-ˈtä-trə-fē How to pronounce chemoautotrophic (audio)
 also  ˌke-
noun

Word History

Etymology

chemo- + autotrophic

Note: The word is presumably based on German Chemoautotrophie, whence chemoautotrophy, attested later than chemoautotrophic. The German noun was apparently introduced by the biochemist Hans Pringsheim (1876-1940) in "Neues über Purpurbakterien," Naturwissenschaften, Band 20 (1932), p. 479.

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chemoautotrophic was in 1936

Dictionary Entries Near chemoautotrophic

chemo-

chemoautotrophic

chemo brain

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Chemoautotrophic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chemoautotrophic. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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Medical Definition

chemoautotrophic

adjective
che·​mo·​au·​to·​tro·​phic -ˌȯt-ə-ˈtrō-fik How to pronounce chemoautotrophic (audio)
: being autotrophic and oxidizing some inorganic compound as a source of energy
chemoautotrophic bacteria
chemoautotrophy
-ȯ-ˈtä-trə-fē How to pronounce chemoautotrophic (audio)
noun
plural chemoautotrophies
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