symbiotic
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of symbiotic
Explanation
A symbiotic relationship benefits both parties. The two of you have a symbiotic relationship: she fixes your car and you style her hair. In biology, symbiotic refers to any diverse organisms that live together, but in this case, the relationship is not necessarily beneficial to both. Parasites, for example, have a symbiotic relationship with their hosts, but only the parasite benefits. If you contract a parasite, you might consider charging rent or throwing the bum out!
Vocabulary lists containing symbiotic
Words to Live By: Bio
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This Week in Pop Culture : January 5 - 11, 2019
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Cosmos
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That finding indicates that the worm can tap into the PHA reserves stored inside its symbiotic bacteria.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026
The nutrients they need to grow are provided by symbiotic zooxanthellae.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
"It really changed my perspective towards plants," he said, his expressive face lighting up as he explained mycorrhiza, a symbiotic association between fungi and plant roots.
From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026
Mainstays embrace the symbiotic relationship between reality shows, even those aired by different networks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
If my organelles are really symbiotic bacteria, colonizing me, what’s to prevent them from catching a virus, or if they have such a thing as lysogeny, from conveying a phage to other organelles?
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
