nonphotosynthetic
|non-pho-to-syn-thet-ic|
🇺🇸
/ˌnɑn.foʊ.təʊ.sɪnˈθɛtɪk/
🇬🇧
/ˌnɒn.fəʊ.təʊ.sɪnˈθet.ɪk/
not performing photosynthesis
Etymology
'nonphotosynthetic' originates from the negative prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non', meaning 'not') combined with 'photosynthetic', which comes from Greek roots 'photo-' meaning 'light' and 'synthesis' meaning 'putting together'.
'photosynthetic' is derived from 'photosynthesis' (from Greek 'phōs'/'photo-' = 'light' + 'synthesis' = 'putting together'); adding the English negative prefix 'non-' produced the compound 'nonphotosynthetic' in modern scientific English.
Initially 'photosynthetic' meant 'performing photosynthesis'; 'nonphotosynthetic' has consistently meant 'not performing photosynthesis' since its formation as the negative compound.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not capable of photosynthesis; not performing photosynthesis (lacking the biochemical processes or pigments to convert light into chemical energy).
Many fungi and some parasitic plants are nonphotosynthetic and obtain carbon by consuming organic matter or parasitizing other organisms.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/14 18:53