-trophic

See also: trophic

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek τροφικός (trophikós, “pertaining to food or nourishment”), from τροφή (trophḗ, “food”). Surface analysis is -trophy +‎ -ic.

Suffix

-trophic

Used to form adjectives corresponding to nouns ending in -trophy

Usage notes

Frequently confused with -tropic (“turning or changing”), which is instead from Ancient Greek τροπικός (tropikós, “of or pertaining to a turn or change; or the solstice; or a trope or figure; tropic; tropical; etc.”), from τροπή (tropḗ, “turn; solstice; trope”).[1] Compare trophic hormone (affects growth) and tropic hormone (drives other glands) and tropho-/tropo-.

Derived terms

English terms suffixed with -trophic

Related terms

-trophy

Translations

used to form adjectives corresponding to nouns ending in -trophy

French: -trophe (fr)
Irish: -trófach
Italian: -tropico
Sicilian: -tròficu

References

“Trophic vs. Tropic”, Werner Steinberg, JAMA, May 3, 1952, 149(1), p. 82, doi:10.1001/jama.1952.02930180084027.

[1] “Trophic vs. Tropic”, Werner Steinberg, JAMA, May 3, 1952, 149(1), p. 82, doi:10.1001/jama.1952.02930180084027.