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Main definitions of oligotropic in English

: oligotropic1oligotropic2

oligotropic1

adjective

Entomology

  • Of an insect, especially a bee: collecting nectar from the flowers of only a few related plants. Contrasted with polytropic .

Pronunciation

oligotropic

/ˌɒlɪɡə(ʊ)ˈtrɒpɪk/ /ˌɒlɪɡə(ʊ)ˈtrəʊpɪk/

Origin

Late 19th century. From oligo- + -tropic, after German oligotrop, adjective.

Main definitions of oligotropic in English

: oligotropic1oligotropic2

oligotropic2

adjective

Ecology

  • Oligotrophic.

Pronunciation

oligotropic

/ˌɒlɪɡə(ʊ)ˈtrɒpɪk/ /ˌɒlɪɡə(ʊ)ˈtrəʊpɪk/

Origin

1940s; earliest use found in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Variant of oligotrophic, by association of the second element with -tropic.