oligotrophic

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˌɒlɪɡəʊˈtrɒfɪk/US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(ol′i gō trof′ik, -trō′fik)


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
ol•i•go•troph•ic  (ol′i gō trof′ik, -trō′fik),USA pronunciation adj. [Ecol.]
  1. Ecology(of a lake) characterized by a low accumulation of dissolved nutrient salts, supporting but a sparse growth of algae and other organisms, and having a high oxygen content owing to the low organic content.
  • oligo- + trophic 1925–30

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
oligotrophic / ˌɒlɪɡəʊˈtrɒfɪk/
  1. (of lakes and similar habitats) poor in nutrients and plant life and rich in oxygen
    Compare eutrophic
Etymology: 20th Century: from oligo- + Greek trophein to nourish + -icoligotrophy / ˌɒlɪˈɡɒtrəfɪ/
'oligotrophic' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
eutrophic - oligotrophy

Forum discussions with the word(s) "oligotrophic" in the title:


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