Photosynthesis
noun /ˌfoʊ.toʊˈsɪn.θɪ.sɪs/ — The process by which plants convert sunlight into food.
Definition
The biological process by which plants, algae, and some bacteria use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce glucose and oxygen. Photosynthesis is the foundation of nearly all food chains on Earth.
Beyond the definition
Photosynthesis is the world's oldest alchemy — turning light itself into life. Every leaf is a solar panel that has been operating for 500 million years.
Origin & history
From Greek 'photos' (light) + 'synthesis' (putting together). The process was discovered by Jan Ingenhousz in 1779; the word was formalized in the late 19th century.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The oxygen in every breath you take was released by photosynthesis — the living world breathing out what we breathe in.
Scientists working on artificial photosynthesis hope to replicate what every leaf does automatically.
She thought about photosynthesis when she moved her desk to the window: even she needed the light, somehow.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Photosynthesis” when the meaning fits your context: The biological process by which plants, algae, and some bacteria use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce glucose and oxygen. Photosynthesis is the foundation of nearly all food chains on Earth.
Synonyms
carbon fixation, light reaction
Antonyms
respiration, decomposition
Related words
Photosynthesis vs respiration
Photosynthesis stores solar energy as chemical bonds in sugar. Respiration breaks those bonds down to release energy for the plant to use.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Woodland Teeming With Diverse Life
A dense, vibrant woodland scene where sunlight filters through a canopy onto a floor covered in diverse plants and moss.
Photosynthesis is the process plants use to convert sunlight into energy. The lush woodland ecosystem highlights the abundance of life that is made possible by this solar-powered foundation for the food chain.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Photosynthesis" mean?
Photosynthesis is noun meaning: The process by which plants convert sunlight into food.. The biological process by which plants, algae, and some bacteria use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce glucose and oxygen. Photosynthesis is the foundation of nearly all food chains on Earth.
Where does the word "Photosynthesis" come from?
From Greek 'photos' (light) + 'synthesis' (putting together). The process was discovered by Jan Ingenhousz in 1779; the word was formalized in the late 19th century.