ectocommensal

[ ek-toh-kuh-men-suhl ]

adjective
  1. Biology. (of an organism) living in a commensal relationship on the exterior of another organism.

noun
  1. an ectocommensal organism.

Origin of ectocommensal

1
First recorded in 1935–40; ecto- + commensal

Other words from ectocommensal

  • ec·to·com·men·sal·ism, ec·to·com·men·sal·i·ty [ek-toh-kom-en-sal-i-tee], /ˌɛk toʊˌkɒm ɛnˈsæl ɪ ti/, noun
  • ec·to·com·men·sal·ly, adverb

Words Nearby ectocommensal

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024