autotrophic

au·to·tro·phic

adj \ˌȯt-ə-ˈtrō-fik\

Definition of AUTOTROPHIC

1

: needing only carbon dioxide or carbonates as a source of carbon and a simple inorganic nitrogen compound for metabolic synthesis

2

: not requiring a specified exogenous factor for normal metabolism

—au·to·tro·phi·cal·ly \-fi-k(ə-)lē\ adverb