antibiosis

American  

[an-tee-bahy-oh-sis, an-tahy-] / ˌæn ti baɪˈoʊ sɪs, ˌæn taɪ- /

noun

Biology.

1. an association between organisms that is injurious to one of them.

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antibiosis British  

/ ˌæntɪbaɪˈəʊsɪs /

noun

1. an association between two organisms, esp microorganisms, that is harmful to one of them

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antibiosis Scientific  

/ ăn′tē-bī-ō′sĭs,ăn′tī- /

1. An association between two or more organisms that is detrimental to at least one of them. Allelopathy (the production of chemicals by one plant species that inhibit the growth of another) is an example of antibiosis.

2. The antagonistic association between an organism and the metabolic substances produced by another.

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Etymology

Origin of antibiosis

First recorded in 1895–1900; anti- + -biosis

Example Sentences

The warfare among the bugs* is called "antibiosis," and the chemical weapons of war are "antibiotics."

From Time Magazine Archive