chemosynthesis

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noun

The production of carbohydrates and other compounds from simple compounds such as carbon dioxide, using the oxidation of chemical nutrients as a source of energy rather than sunlight; it is limited to certain bacteria and fungi.

OriginEnglish synthesis ← Latin synthesis ← Ancient Greek σύνθεσις (súnthesis) →
Scrabble 27
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Meanings

nounchemosynthesis (usually uncountable, plural chemosyntheses)

plural chemosyntheses

  1. uncountableusuallyThe production of carbohydrates and other compounds from simple compounds such as carbon dioxide, using the oxidation of chemical nutrients as a source of energy rather than sunlight; it is limited to certain bacteria and fungi.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ǵʰew-
  2. Ancient Greekχῠ́μᾰ (khŭ́mă)
  3. Ancient Greekχυμείᾱ (khumeíā)
  4. Arabicالْكِيمِيَاء (al-kīmiyāʔ)
  5. Medieval Latinalchēmia
  6. Ancient Greekχυμείᾱ (khumeíā)influ.
  7. New Latinchēmīa
  8. Englishchemo-
  9. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
  10. Proto-Indo-European*ḱómder.?
  11. Proto-Indo-European*sem-der.?
  12. Proto-Hellenic*ksún
  13. Ancient Greekσύν (sún)
  14. Ancient Greekσυν- (sun-)
  15. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  16. Proto-Indo-European*dʰédʰeh₁ti
  17. Ancient Greekτίθημι (títhēmi)
  18. Ancient Greekσῠντῐ́θημῐ (sŭntĭ́thēmĭ)
  19. Ancient Greekσύνθεσις (súnthesis)
  20. Latinsynthesis
  21. Englishsynthesis
  22. Englishchemosynthesis

From chemo- + synthesis.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic تمثيل كيميائي
  • تمثيل كيميائي (Tamthīl kīmyāʼī)production of carbohydrates and other compounds from simple compounds
Chinese Mandarin 化能合成
  • 化能合成 (huànénghéchéng)production of carbohydrates and other compounds from simple compounds
Estonian kemosüntees
  • kemosünteesproduction of carbohydrates and other compounds from simple compounds
Finnish kemosynteesi
  • kemosynteesiproduction of carbohydrates and other compounds from simple compounds
French chimiosynthèse
  • chimiosynthèseproduction of carbohydrates and other compounds from simple compounds
German Chemosynthese
  • Chemosyntheseproduction of carbohydrates and other compounds from simple compounds
Greek χημειοσύνθεση
  • χημειοσύνθεση (chimeiosýnthesi)production of carbohydrates and other compounds from simple compounds
Hungarian kemoszintézis
  • kemoszintézisproduction of carbohydrates and other compounds from simple compounds
Icelandic efnatillífun
  • efnatillífunproduction of carbohydrates and other compounds from simple compounds
Japanese 化学合成
  • 化学合成 (kagakugōsei)production of carbohydrates and other compounds from simple compounds
Korean 화학합성
  • 화학합성 (hwahakhapseong)production of carbohydrates and other compounds from simple compounds
Latvian hemosintēze
  • hemosintēzeproduction of carbohydrates and other compounds from simple compounds
Portuguese quimiossíntese
  • quimiossínteseproduction of carbohydrates and other compounds from simple compounds
Russian хемоси́нтез
  • хемоси́нтез (xemosíntez)production of carbohydrates and other compounds from simple compounds
Spanish quimiosíntesis
  • quimiosíntesisproduction of carbohydrates and other compounds from simple compounds
Tamil வேதிச்சேர்க்கை
  • வேதிச்சேர்க்கை (vēticcērkkai)production of carbohydrates and other compounds from simple compounds
Turkish kemosentez
  • kemosentezproduction of carbohydrates and other compounds from simple compounds
Vietnamese hóa tổng hợp
  • hóa tổng hợpproduction of carbohydrates and other compounds from simple compounds
Cite this entry
APA

chemosynthesis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chemosynthesis

MLA

“chemosynthesis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chemosynthesis. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “chemosynthesis,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chemosynthesis.

Source: chemosynthesis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.