cleptobiosis

American

[klep-toh-bahy-oh-sis] / ˌklɛp toʊ baɪˈoʊ sɪs /

noun

PLURAL

cleptobioses

an ecological relationship in which members of one species, as of ants, steal food from another.

Other Word Forms

cleptobiotic adjective

Etymology

Origin of cleptobiosis

< Greek klépt ( ein ) to steal + -o- + -biosis

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.

Cleptobiosis, is where one species of ant lives in or near the nest of another, preying upon its larvae or pupae or stealing the food supply.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023