endosymbiosis

American  

[en-doh-sim-bee-oh-sis, -bahy-] / ˌɛn doʊˌsɪm biˈoʊ sɪs, -baɪ- /

noun

Biology.

1. symbiosis in which one symbiont lives within the body of the other.

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endosymbiosis British  

/ ˌɛndəʊˌsɪmbɪˈəʊsɪs /

noun

1. a type of symbiosis in which one organism lives inside the other, the two typically behaving as a single organism. It is believed to be the means by which such organelles as mitochondria and chloroplasts arose within eukaryotic cells

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• endosymbiotic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of endosymbiosis

First recorded in 1935–40; endo- + symbiosis

Example Sentences

The Aiptasia sea anemone is a model system for research on endosymbiosis in corals and other cnidarians.

From Science Daily • Sep. 29, 2023

Strong evidence points to endosymbiosis as the explanation.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Now we know that variations have many causes, including mutation, endosymbiosis, genetic drift, sexual recombination, epigenetic factors and, yes, horizontal gene transfer.

From Scientific American • Jun. 15, 2019

Both paradigms have an uncanny ability to absorb opposition, just as one microbe swallows another via endosymbiosis.

From Scientific American • Jun. 15, 2019

Much evidence now supports this theory that many of the complex features of eukaryotic cells evolved through endosymbiosis.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2018