Standard Lemma guide

phototropism

noun · 2 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

noun

Meaning 1

The movement of a plant towards or away from light.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: biology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

an orienting response to light

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: tropism

History

Etymology

From photo- + -tropism.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: héliotropisme — biology: the movement of a plant towards or away from light
  • German: Fototropismus — biology: the movement of a plant towards or away from light
  • Greek: φωτοτροπισμός (fototropismós) — biology: the movement of a plant towards or away from light
  • Irish: fótatrópacht — biology: the movement of a plant towards or away from light
  • Italian: fototropismo — biology: the movement of a plant towards or away from light
  • Italian: eliotropia — biology: the movement of a plant towards or away from light
  • Italian: eliotropismo — biology: the movement of a plant towards or away from light
  • Romanian: fototropism — biology: the movement of a plant towards or away from light
  • Tagalog: sugbaling — biology: the movement of a plant towards or away from light