-troph·ic \.|träfik, -rōf-, -fēk, sometimes .trə(ˌ)fik\adjective combining form also-tro·phous\.trəfəs\ Etymology: New Latin -trophia -trophy + English -ic or -ous 1. a.also-trophous: of or relating to a (specified) type of nutrition < hypertrophic > < hypertrophous > b.: having a (specified) nutritional requirement < monotrophic > 2.: -tropic 1,2 < glycotrophic > < lipotrophic >