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
Etymology
Origin of symbiont
1885–90; < Greek symbiont- (stem of symbiṓn ), present participle of symbioûn “to live together”; see 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
"A coral's competitive advantage could be lost in a matter of a few degrees depending on what type of symbiont they associate with."
From Science Daily ● Nov. 17, 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
In the glassy-winged sharpshooter and the cicada—both also sap-sucking insects—one symbiont supplies eight of the 10 essential amino acids missing in their diet, and another symbiont supplies the other two.
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 Jesse F. (Jesse Franklin) Bone
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
