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autoecism

or au·te·cism

[aw-tee-siz-uh m]
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noun Mycology.
  1. the development of the entire life cycle of a parasitic fungus on a single host or group of hosts.
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Origin of autoecism

aut- + oec- (< Greek oik-, stem of oîkos house) + -ism
Also called ametoecism.
Related formsau·toe·cious [aw-tee-shuh s] /ɔˈti ʃəs/, adjectiveau·toe·cious·ly, adverbau·toe·cious·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for autoecious

autoecious

sometimes US autecious

adjective
  1. (of parasites, esp the rust fungi) completing the entire life cycle on a single species of hostCompare heteroecious
  2. (of plants, esp mosses) having male and female reproductive organs on the same plant
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Derived Formsautoecism or sometimes US autecism, noun

Word Origin

C19: from auto- + -oecious, from Greek oikia house
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
autoecious in Science

autoecious

[ô-tē′shəs]
  1. Relating to a parasite that spends all its life on a single host. The term is used especially of certain types of rust fungi, but can also be applied to other parasites, such as aphids. Compare heteroecious.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.