symbiont

[ sim-bee-ont, -bahy- ]

/ ˈsɪm biˌɒnt, -baɪ- /

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noun Biology.

an organism living in a state of symbiosis.

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Also sym·bi·ote

[sim-bee-oht, -bahy-]. /ˈsɪm biˌoʊt, -baɪ-/.

Origin of symbiont

1885–90; <Greek symbiont- (stem of symbiṓn ), present participle of symbioûn “to live together”; see symbiosis, onto-

OTHER WORDS FROM symbiont

sym·bi·on·tic

[sim-bee-on-tik, -bahy-], /ˌsɪm biˈɒn tɪk, -baɪ-/, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use symbiont in a sentence

The "intracellular symbionts" of some Blattidae, their nature and behavior.
The Biotic Associations of Cockroaches|Louis M. Roth
These are called symbionts or symbiotic parasites and the mutual relationship symbiosis.
The Fundamentals of Bacteriology|Charles Bradfield Morrey
The role of symbionts as sources of vitamins and growth factors for their insect hosts.
The Biotic Associations of Cockroaches|Louis M. Roth
Growth of the intracellular symbionts of the cockroach, Periplaneta americana.
The Biotic Associations of Cockroaches|Louis M. Roth

Cultivation and classification of "bacteroides," "symbionts," or "rickettsiae" of Blattella germanica.
The Biotic Associations of Cockroaches|Louis M. Roth

British Dictionary definitions for symbiont

symbiont

/ (ˈsɪmbɪˌɒnt) /

noun

an organism living in a state of symbiosis

Derived forms of symbiont

symbiontic, adjectivesymbiontically, adverb

Word Origin for symbiont

C19: from Greek sumbioun to live together, from bioun to live

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for symbiont

symbiont

[ sĭm′bē-ŏnt′, -bī- ]

symbiote

(sĭm′bē-ōt′, -bī-)

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. See also host parasite.