Photosynthesizes

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The process utilized by specific organisms to convert light energy into glucose and oxygen through chlorophyll
2. A biological mechanism employed by some autotrophs to turn sunlight into chemical energy in the form of sugars and release oxygen
3. The conversion of solar energy into chemical energy by certain plants and microorganisms, resulting in sugar production and oxygen release occurs through this process

Etymology: "Photosynthesizes" is the third-person singular present form of "photosynthesize," which is a verb meaning to make food from light. The verb is built from two parts: "photo-," from Greek "phōs" (light), and "synthesize," meaning to combine separate elements into a whole. Put together, the word describes a plant or other organism combining light with simpler materials to build its own food. The base word "synthesize" is itself a back-formation from "synthesis," a term borrowed from Greek "synthesis" meaning "putting together." The "photo-" element has been used in English for many scientific coinages involving light, which is why the pairing reads so directly. Its meaning comes from the combining of its two parts rather than from any older, fixed usage of the whole.

Synonyms: convert, transform, synthesize, produce