mutualism
[ myoo-choo-uh-liz-uhm ]
/ ˈmyu tʃu əˌlɪz əm /
Save This Word!
noun
a relationship between two species of organisms in which both benefit from the association.
the doctrine that the interdependence of social elements is the primary determinant of individual and social relations, especially the theory that common ownership of property, or collective effort and control governed by sentiments of brotherhood and mutual aid, will be beneficial to both the individual and society.
Sociology. the force or principle of mutual aid.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON “ITS” VS. “IT’S”!
Apostrophes can be tricky; prove you know the difference between it’s and its in this crafty quiz!
Question 1 of 12
On the farm, the feed for chicks is significantly different from the roosters’; ______ not even comparable.
OTHER WORDS FROM mutualism
mu·tu·al·ist, nounmu·tu·al·is·tic, adjectiveWords nearby mutualism
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for mutualism
British Dictionary definitions for mutualism
Derived forms of mutualism
mutualist, noun, adjectivemutualistic, adjectiveCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Medical definitions for mutualism
mutualism
[ myōō′chōō-ə-lĭz′əm ]
n.
A symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit.
Other words from mutualism
mu′tu•al•is′tic adj.The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Scientific definitions for mutualism
mutualism
[ myōō′chōō-ə-lĭz′əm ]
A relationship between two organisms in which each of the organisms benefits.♦ In obligate mutualism the interacting species are interdependent and cannot survive without each other. The fungi and algae that combine to form lichen are obligate mutualists.♦ In the more common facultative mutualism the interacting species derive benefit without being fully dependent. Many plants produce fruits that are eaten by birds, and the birds later excrete the seeds of these fruits far from the parent plant. While both species benefit, the birds have other food available to them, and the plants can disperse their seeds when the uneaten fruit drops. Compare amensalism commensalism parasitism.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.