heterophyte

noun

het·​er·​o·​phyte

ˈhetərəˌfīt

plural -s

: a plant that is dependent for food materials upon other living or dead plant or animal organisms or their products : parasite, saprophyte compare autophyte

heterophytic

¦⸗⸗⸗¦fitik

adjective

Word History

Etymology

heter- + -phyte

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!