What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Heterotrophs vs Autotroph - What's the difference?

heterotrophs | autotroph |

As nouns the difference between heterotrophs and autotroph

is that heterotrophs is while autotroph is (biology) any organism that can synthesize its food from inorganic substances, using heat or light as a source of energy.

heterotrophs

English

Noun

(head) (p)
  • autotroph

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (biology) Any organism that can synthesize its food from inorganic substances, using heat or light as a source of energy.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-03
  • , author= , title=The Smallest Cell , volume=101, issue=2, page=83 , magazine= citation , passage=It is likely that the long evolutionary trajectory of Mycoplasma went from a reductive autotroph to oxidative heterotroph to a cell-wall–defective degenerate parasite. This evolutionary trajectory assumes the simplicity to complexity route of biogenesis, a point of view that is not universally accepted.}}

    Coordinate terms

    * heterotroph

    Derived terms

    * autotrophic * autotrophically * autotrophy