-trophic

Origin

From Ancient Greek τροφικός (trophikós, "pertaining to food or nourishment"), from τροφή (trophḗ, "food"). Surface analysis is -trophy + -ic.

Full definition of -trophic

Suffix

1. Used to form adjectives corresponding to nouns ending in -trophy

Usage notes

Frequently confused with -tropic ("growth, development; nutrition"), which is instead from Ancient Greek τροπικός (tropikós, "of or pertaining to a turn or change; or the solstice; or a trope or figure; tropic; tropical; etc."), from τροπή (tropē, "turn; solstice; trope").

“Trophic vs. Tropic”, Werner Steinberg, JAMA, May 3, 1952, 149(1), p. 82, doi:10.1001/jama.1952.02930180084027. Compare trophic hormone (effects growth) and tropic hormone (drives other glands) and tropho-/tropo-.

Derived terms

Related terms

• -trophy