Dictionary
pro•to•troph•ic
Pronunciation: (prō"tu-trof'ik, -trō'fik), [key]—
adj.
1. (esp. of certain bacteria) requiring only inorganic substances for growth.
2. (of certain microorganisms) requiring no specific nutriments for growth.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.