Definition

Describing a condition related to poor nutrition or growth, often affecting tissues or organs, and can also refer to certain types of water bodies with specific characteristics.

Example

The dystrophic lake had dark, stained waters and very few plants growing in it.

Conversation

Have you seen the new lake near the park?

Yeah, it looks kind of strange and dystrophic to me.

I wonder what causes that brownish color in the water.

Probably the high concentration of humic matter in it.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Dystrophic → It is formed from "dys-" (meaning bad or difficult) and "trophe" (from Greek "trophē", meaning nourishment or development). The word describes a condition characterized by poor nourishment or development.

Memory Tip

Think of 'bad' ('dys-') nourishment ('trophe') to remember that 'dystrophic' refers to a condition of poor development.

Visually Confused Words