saprophytic
adjective
sap·ro·phyt·ic
ˌsa-prə-ˈfi-tik 
: obtaining food by absorbing dissolved organic material
especially
: obtaining nourishment from the products of organic breakdown and decay
saprophytic fungi
Examples of saprophytic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Life and Death While fungi play critical roles in keeping plants alive, saprophytic fungi also are there in death, prompting the breakdown of organic material.
—
Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 28 Oct. 2021
If that’s the case, this could be a saprophytic fungus developing off that tissue.
—Neil Sperry, ExpressNews.com, 12 Nov. 2020
Your thumbnail photo is quite small and quite dark, but these are some type of saprophytic fungal growth that is present because the branches were dead.
—Neil Sperry, ExpressNews.com, 28 May 2020
Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 28 Oct. 2021
If that’s the case, this could be a saprophytic fungus developing off that tissue.
—Neil Sperry, ExpressNews.com, 12 Nov. 2020
Your thumbnail photo is quite small and quite dark, but these are some type of saprophytic fungal growth that is present because the branches were dead.
—Neil Sperry, ExpressNews.com, 28 May 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'saprophytic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Saprophytic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saprophytic. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
saprophytic
adjective
sap·ro·phyt·ic
ˌsap-rə-ˈfit-ik
: obtaining food by absorbing dissolved organic material
especially
: obtaining nourishment osmotically from the products of organic breakdown and decay
saprophytic fungi
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