What does symbiote mean?
A symbiote is an organism that lives in a close, sustained biological association with another organism, called a host or partner. The relationship may benefit both participants, as in the partnership between a fungus and an alga within a lichen, or it may chiefly benefit one participant, as when bacteria provide nutrients to an insect. A symbiote can be closely attached to its partner and may depend on the relationship for food, shelter, protection, or reproduction. The term is especially common in microbiology, ecology, and evolutionary biology, though symbiont is more widely used in general writing. Symbiote is also used figuratively in some technical fields for entities whose operation or development depends on a close partnership with another system.
nounAn organism that lives in symbiosis with another organism, benefiting from the relationship in ways that may or may not also benefit the other organism.
- An organism living in a close, sustained association with another organism in a symbiotic relationship.
- An organism that is routinely associated with another organism or host and may depend on that relationship for survival.
"The lichen is a complex organism in which a fungus and an alga exist as close symbiotes."
"Many insects host bacterial symbiotes that help them obtain nutrients unavailable in their normal diet."
"Researchers identified a single-celled alga as the symbiote living within the coral tissue."
The regular plural is symbiotes.
"Several symbiotes inhabit the host's digestive tract."
A symbiote does not merely live near another organism; it lives with it in an intimate, sustained biological partnership.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does symbiote come from?
The word comes through New Latin from Greek symbiōtēs, meaning “one who lives together with another.” It is related to Greek symbiosis, “a living together,” which in turn combines elements meaning “together” and “life.” The English biological sense developed alongside the more general concept of symbiosis.
Related word forms
How symbiote is actually used
Symbiote is a specialized biological term and is less common in general usage than symbiont. Its use may refer either to a mutually beneficial partner or, more broadly, to one partner in a symbiotic relationship.