Osmotroph

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An organism that obtains nutrients by absorbing dissolved organic compounds directly through its cell membrane from the surrounding medium
2. A living thing that feeds by taking in soluble food substances from its environment rather than ingesting solid particles or matter
3. An entity that nourishes itself by absorbing liquid or dissolved nutrient molecules that permeate through its outer membranes into its cells

Etymology: Osmotrophs take in food without eating or engulfing it. They absorb dissolved molecules directly through the cell surface. The name joins two Greek elements: "osmos," meaning a push or thrust, which is also the root of "osmosis," the movement of water across a membrane, and "trophos," meaning feeder or nourisher, which also appears in "autotroph" and "heterotroph." Fungi are the best-known example. Their bodies are made of threads of cells that release digestive enzymes into their surroundings and then take up the small molecules those enzymes produce. Many bacteria feed in the same way. As a technical coinage built from classical roots, the term's meaning follows directly from its parts.