symbiosis

American  

[sim-bee-oh-sis, -bahy-] / ˌsɪm biˈoʊ sɪs, -baɪ- /

noun

plural

symbioses

1. Biology.

   1. the living together of two dissimilar organisms, as in mutualism, commensalism, amensalism, or parasitism.

   2. (formerly) mutualism.

2. Psychiatry. a relationship between two people in which each person is dependent upon and receives reinforcement, whether beneficial or detrimental, from the other.

3. Psychoanalysis. the relationship between an infant and their mother in which the infant is dependent on the mother both physically and emotionally.

4. any interdependent or mutually beneficial relationship between two persons, groups, etc.

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symbiosis British  

/ ˌsɪmbɪˈəʊsɪs, ˌsɪmbaɪˈəʊsɪs /

noun

1. a close and usually obligatory association of two organisms of different species that live together, often to their mutual benefit

2. a similar relationship between interdependent persons or groups

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symbiosis Scientific  

/ sĭm′bē-ō′sĭs /

1. The close association between two or more organisms of different species, often but not necessarily benefiting each member. The association of algae and fungi in lichens and of bacteria living in the intestines or on the skin of animals are forms of symbiosis. Some scientists believe that many multicellular organisms evolved from symbiotic relationships between unicellular ones and that the DNA-containing organelles within certain eukaryotic cells (such as mitochondria and chloroplasts) are the product of symbiotic relationships in which the participants became interdependent. There are four forms of symbiosis: amensalism, commensalism, mutualism, and parasitism.

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symbiosis Cultural  

1. The process by which two organisms live together, usually to their mutual benefit. An example of a symbiotic pair are cows and the bacteria that live in their digestive tracts, enabling them to digest cellulose in grass.

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Other Word Forms

• symbiotic adjective
• symbiotical adjective

Etymology

Origin of symbiosis

First recorded in 1615–25; from Greek symbíōsis, equivalent to sym- sym- + biō (variant stem of bioûn “to live”) + -sis -sis

Example Sentences

U.S.-India symbiosis could pay off big in the long term as the 1.5 billion-strong growth juggernaut builds its future on California technology, says Wendy Cutler, vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

Tergit refuses to present the Holocaust as the telos of a necessarily failed German-Jewish symbiosis.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

"Only very few crops can perform symbiosis today. If we can extend that to widely used crops, it can really make a big difference on how much nitrogen needs to be used."

From Science Daily • Dec. 9, 2025

Ultimately, Saka and Odegaard's symbiosis on Saturday extended to the very end of their time on the pitch.

From BBC • Nov. 30, 2024

Disease usually results from inconclusive negotiations for symbiosis, an overstepping of the line by one side or the other, a biologic misinterpretation of borders.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

Related Words

• body
• existence
• growth
• living
• man
• person
• soul
• survival
• woman