symbiosis

[sim-bee-oh-sis, -bahy-]

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.

symbiosis

/ 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

symbiosis

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.

symbiosis

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.

Other Word Forms

• symbiotic adjective
• symbiotical adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of symbiosis¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of symbiosis¹

C19: via New Latin from Greek: a living together; see _symbiont

Related Words

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