Turning toward or responding to the cause of disease or the source of a stimulus; moving in relation to causal factors.
From Greek aitia (cause) + tropos (τρόπος, turning). A rare term combining medical and biological concepts to describe directional responses.
This word was created for organisms that respond by moving toward what's causing something—like how bacteria might aetiotropically migrate toward nutrients, but it's so specialized that almost nobody uses it anymore.
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