Main Entry: au·to·tro·phic

Pronunciation: \ˌȯt-ə-ˈtrō-fik\

Function: adjective

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