photosynthesis
noun
Did you know?
Photosynthesis Has Greek Roots
The Greek roots of photosynthesis combine to produce the basic meaning "to put together with the help of light". Photosynthesis is what first produced oxygen in the atmosphere billions of years ago, and it's still what keeps it there. Sunlight splits the water molecules (made of hydrogen and oxygen) held in a plant's leaves and releases the oxygen in them into the air. The leftover hydrogen combines with carbon dioxide to produce carbohydrates, which the plant uses as food—as do any animals or humans who might eat the plant.
Examples of photosynthesis in a Sentence
Trevor Grandpre, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2024
With less carbon dioxide available for use in photosynthesis, the thinking goes, the trees developed these unique cellular structures to hold on to as much of it as possible.
—Michael Franco, New Atlas, 31 July 2024
Organisms normally need light to produce oxygen through a process known as photosynthesis, but researchers believe electrochemical activity produced by these masses — called polymetallic nodules — can extract oxygen from water.
—Annabelle Timsit, Washington Post, 23 July 2024
Higher temperatures result in a depletion of carbohydrate reserves, meaning the plant’s photosynthesis system gets damaged.
—Caralin Nunes, The Arizona Republic, 18 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for photosynthesis 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'photosynthesis.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near photosynthesis
Cite this Entry
“Photosynthesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/photosynthesis. Accessed 20 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
photosynthesis
noun
Medical Definition
photosynthesis
noun
Share