Self-nourishing. Making its own food (from energy), as in plant photosynthesis or bacterial chemosynthesis. In an ecosystem, the producer of food.

   e.g. Plants manufacture glucose (organic) from water and carbon dioxide (inorganic).

Au`to*troph"ic (?), a. [Auto- + trophic.] (Plant Physiol.)

Capable of self-nourishment; -- said of all plants in which photosynthetic activity takes place, as opposed to parasitism or saprophytism.

© Webster 1913.