trophogenic

adjective

troph·​o·​gen·​ic
¦träfə¦jenik
1
: brought about by or resulting from differences in food or feeding rather than genetically determined
the various castes of social insects are usually held to be trophogenic in origin
compare blastogenic
2
or less commonly trophogenous
trōˈfäjənəs
[troph- + -genous] : of, relating to, or being the upper level in a lake in which inorganic matter is converted to organic through photosynthetic activity compare tropholytic

Word History

Etymology

troph- + -genic

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of trophogenic was in 1922

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Cite this Entry

“Trophogenic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trophogenic. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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