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

Explanation

Symbiosis, a noun, tells about the relationship between living things that helps all of them stay alive, like the symbiosis between bees that eat nectar from flowers that get cross-pollinated when the bees move from one to the next. To correctly pronounce symbiosis, accent the third syllable: "sim-be-OH-sis." The prefix syn comes from the Greek word "together" and bios means "life." So symbiosis means "a living together." Things that live in symbiosis depend on one another, like the clown fish and anemone that protect one another from ocean predators, or the symbiosis between a dairy farmer and one who grows hay, trading milk for hay bales that feed the cows.

Example Sentences

Nothing captures Mr. Sankar’s ardent pursuit of a private-public defense symbiosis better than his call to seek out “heretics” and elevate them to positions of military and strategic authority.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

The copter-drone symbiosis will also come into effective play in civilian, firefighting or police missions, said Gerin-Roze.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

According to the study, this symbiosis offers Sargassum a competitive advantage over other algae in the Equatorial Atlantic and helps explain the changes in Sargassum abundance recorded in past years.

From Science Daily • Nov. 19, 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

I doubt that an independent organ­ism, however intimate the symbiosis it has entered upon, would give up on so essential a part of life as reproduction.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

Related Words

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