Main Entry: pho·to·syn·the·sis

Pronunciation: \ˌfōt-ō-ˈsin(t)-thə-səs\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural pho·to·syn·the·ses

: synthesis of chemical compounds with the aid of light sometimes including the near infrared or near ultraviolet ; especially : the formation of carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and a source of hydrogen (as water) in chlorophyll-containing cells (as of green plants) exposed to light involving a photochemical release of oxygen through the decomposition of water followed by various enzymatic synthetic reactions that usually do not require the presence of light

—pho·to·syn·the·size \-ˌsīz\ also British pho·to·syn·the·sise intransitive verb, pho·to·syn·the·sized also British pho·to·syn·the·sised; pho·to·syn·the·siz·ing also British pho·to·syn·the·sis·ing

—pho·to·syn·thet·ic \-sin-ˈthet-ik\ adjective

—pho·to·syn·thet·i·cal·ly \-i-k(ə-)lē\ adverb