Meanings
nounheterophyte (plural heterophytes)
plural heterophytes
- biologyAny plant that obtains its nourishment from other (living or dead) plants; includes parasites and saprophytes
Origin
From hetero- (“other, different”) + -phyte (“plant”).
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
heterophyte. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heterophyte
MLA
“heterophyte.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heterophyte. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “heterophyte,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heterophyte.
Source: heterophyte on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.