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An organism that feeds on dead organic matter especially a fungus or bacterium
Answer for the clue "An organism that feeds on dead organic matter especially a fungus or bacterium ", 10 letters:
saprophyte
Word definitions for saprophyte in dictionaries
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Saprophyte \Sap"ro*phyte\, n. [Gr. sapro`s rotten + fyto`n a plant.] (Bot.) Any plant growing on decayed animal or vegetable matter, as most fungi and some flowering plants with no green color, as the Indian pipe.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
"bacteria or fungus that grows on decaying organic matter," 1867, from French, from Greek sapros "putrid" + phyton "plant" (see phyto- ). Related: Saprophytism .
Wiktionary
Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. Any organism that lives on dead organic matter, as certain fungi and bacteria.
WordNet
Word definitions in WordNet
n. an organism that feeds on dead organic matter especially a fungus or bacterium [syn: saprophytic organism ]
Usage examples of saprophyte.
The walls and ceiling were ice, but the rocky floor was cushioned with a dense lichenoid carpet of tough gray and lavender saprophytes.
There were things that ate other things, like terrestrial saprophytes and carnivorous plants, but they all photosynthesized, as well.
You know, from the fertilizer that bacteria, yeast, fungi, and saprophytes generally need.
Proceeding into Athander he worked a month in the forests, clearing the trees of saprophytes and pest-bug.
These are soft as cheese, these parasites or saprophytes or symbiotes, whatever the case may be, creating a treacherously slippery surface, but it is difficult to avoid walking on them.