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ectocommensal

[ek-toh-kuh-men-suh l]

adjective

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

noun

an ectocommensal organism.

Origin of ectocommensal

First recorded in 1935–40; ecto- + commensal

Related formsec·to·com·men·sal·ism, ec·to·com·men·sal·i·ty

[ek-toh-kom-en-sal-i-tee] /ˌɛk toʊˌkɒm ɛnˈsæl ɪ ti/, nounec·to·com·men·sal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019