Definition

The movement of a living thing towards or away from light.

Example

Many plants exhibit phototaxis by growing towards the sunlight.

Conversation

Did you know that some plants show phototaxis when they grow toward the light?

Yeah, it's fascinating how they know where to go!

Exactly! I read that it helps them get more sunlight for photosynthesis.

Nature really has some amazing tricks up its sleeve.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Phototaxis → It is formed from "photo-" (from Greek "phōs", meaning light) and "taxis" (from Greek "taxis", meaning arrangement or order). The word "phototaxis" refers to the movement or orientation of an organism in response to light, indicating how it arranges itself in relation to light sources.

Memory Tip

Imagine organisms moving in response to 'light' ('photo-') and arranging themselves ('taxis') accordingly — that's what phototaxis means.

Visually Confused Words