photosynthesis

CEFRB2

/ˌfəʊ.təʊˈsɪn.θə.sɪs/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    The process plants use to make food from light, water, and air.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    Any process by which plants and other photoautotrophs convert light energy into chemical energy.

Examples

  • Plants need to be in a well-lit place to undergo photosynthesis.

  • The organism was found to be capable of photosynthesis.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
4
Parts of speech
1
Citations
1

Also pronounced

  • [ˌfŏʊ.ɾoʊˈsɪn̪.θə.sɪs]
  • /ˌfoʊ.toʊˈsɪn.θə.sɪs/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. Principally, oxygenic photosynthesis, any process by which plants and algae convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates and waste oxygen using solar energy.

  2. Also, nonoxygenic photosynthesis, used by purple and green bacteria, heliobacteria, and acidobacteria.

More examples

In context

  • Do all plants carry out photosynthesis?

  • Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis: the ability to convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates and waste oxygen using solar energy.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

Plants use sunlight during blank to make simple food from carbon dioxide and water.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From photo- + synthesis.