symbiont
Americannoun
noun
-
An organism in a symbiotic relationship. In cases in which a distinction is made between two interacting organisms, the symbiont is the smaller of the two and is always a beneficiary in the relationship, while the larger organism is the host and may or may not derive a benefit.
Other Word Forms
- symbiontic adjective
- symbiontically adverb
Etymology
Origin of symbiont
1885–90; < Greek symbiont- (stem of symbiṓn ), present participle of symbioûn “to live together”; symbiosis, onto-
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.
Together with its surprisingly small genome, this raised the possibility that the marine Rhizobia might be a symbiont.
From Science Daily • May 9, 2024
"There is a lot of variation within both the animal and symbiont genera. We need to understand the variation."
From Science Daily • Nov. 30, 2023
Bacteria, for instance, may make up as much as 95 percent of the serotonin in our bloodstreams, meaning you have a diverse symbiont community to thank for your pleasant mood.
From Slate • Jan. 23, 2020
"The insect is basically relying on a symbiont that's falling apart," Moran says.
From Science Magazine • Nov. 14, 2019
Its previous hosts had been color blind, and the symbiont wallowed in an orgy of bright sensation.
From Insidekick by Bone, Jesse F. (Jesse Franklin)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
