Standard Lemma guide

oligotrophic

adj · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adj

Meaning 1

deficient in nutrition (providing little nourishment)

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: medicine, physiology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

being poor in nutrients and minerals

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: eutrophic

3

adj

Meaning 3

deficient in plant nutrients, such as nitrogen or phosphorus.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: geography, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From oligo- + -trophic.

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • German: oligotroph — of a diet: deficient in nutrition
  • Greek: ολιγοτροφικός (oligotrofikós) — of a diet: deficient in nutrition
  • Catalan: oligotròfic — of a wetland: deficient in plant nutrients
  • Chinese Mandarin: 寡養的 /寡养的 (guǎyǎng dì) — of a wetland: deficient in plant nutrients
  • Galician: oligotrófico — of a wetland: deficient in plant nutrients
  • German: oligotroph — of a wetland: deficient in plant nutrients
  • German: nährstoffarm — of a wetland: deficient in plant nutrients
  • Greek: ολιγοτροφικός (oligotrofikós) — of a wetland: deficient in plant nutrients
  • Italian: oligotrofico — of a wetland: deficient in plant nutrients
  • Norwegian Bokmål: oligotrof — of a wetland: deficient in plant nutrients
  • Norwegian Bokmål: næringsfattig — of a wetland: deficient in plant nutrients
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: oligotrof — of a wetland: deficient in plant nutrients
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: næringsfattig — of a wetland: deficient in plant nutrients
  • Romanian: oligotrof — of a wetland: deficient in plant nutrients
  • Spanish: oligotrófico — of a wetland: deficient in plant nutrients