Word
chlorophyll
Phoneticschloro·phyll
US/ˈkɫɔɹəfɪɫ/
UK/klˌɔːɹəʊfˈɪl/
Definition
n. the green substance in plants that helps them turn sunlight into food. It is what makes leaves look green and allows plants to grow.
n. the green pigment in plants and algae that is essential for photosynthesis. It absorbs light energy from the sun and converts it into chemical energy.
Examples
“Chlorophyll gives leaves their green color.”
“During the autumn, the chlorophyll in the leaves breaks down, revealing the yellow and orange pigments underneath.”
“The efficiency of chlorophyll in capturing solar energy is a primary factor in the productivity of terrestrial ecosystems, as it directly influences the rate of carbon fixation in the atmosphere.”
Examples
simple
“Chlorophyll gives leaves their green color.”
contextual
“During the autumn, the chlorophyll in the leaves breaks down, revealing the yellow and orange pigments underneath.”
complex
“The efficiency of chlorophyll in capturing solar energy is a primary factor in the productivity of terrestrial ecosystems, as it directly influences the rate of carbon fixation in the atmosphere.”
Real-World Examples
“The researchers emphasize that they are not suggesting chlorophyll, heme, or any particular biological pigment is responsible for Venus's dark ultraviolet features.” “For example, pyrroles form the basis of the heme that lets our blood carry oxygen and the chlorophyll that lets plants photosynthesize.” Etymology
Borrowed from French chlorophylle, from Ancient Greek χλωρός (khlōrós, “pale green”) and φύλλον (phúllon, “leaf”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/chlorophyll