[mod. L., ad. Gr. συμβίωσις a living together, companionship, f. συμβιοῦν, συμβιόειν to live together, f. σύμβιος adj. living together, sb. companion, partner, f. ούν SYM- + βίος life.]
† 1. Living together, social life. Obs. rare–1.
1622. Misselden, Free Trade, 60. To study and inuent things profitable for the publique Symbiosis.
2. Biol. Association of two different organisms (usually two plants, or an animal and a plant) that live attached to each other, or one as a tenant of the other, and contribute to each other’s support.
Also called commensalism or consortism; distinguished from parasitism, in which one organism preys upon the other. Rarely in extended use, including parasitism; or including mutually beneficial association without bodily attachment.
1877. Bennett, trans. Thomé’s Bot. (ed. 6), 267. In the Lichens we have the most remarkable instance in the vegetable kingdom of … symbiosis or commensalism.
1882. H. N. Moseley, in Times, 30 Aug., 7/4. Certain animals have imbedded in their tissues numbers of unicellular algæ, which are not to be regarded as parasites, but which thrive in the waste products of the animal, while the animal feeds upon the compounds elaborated by the algæ. This combined condition of existence has been named by Dr. Brandt symbiosis.
Hence Symbiote [for ending cf. zygote], a combination of two symbiotic organisms; Symbiotic, a. Biol. associated or living in symbiosis; relating to or involving symbiosis; Symbiotically adv., in a symbiotic manner, in the way of symbiosis; Symbiotism (rare), symbiosis.
1897. Nature, 2 Dec., 119/1. It may be a *symbiote involving some gigantic rhizopod … and a bacterial organism.
1882. Academy, 4 Feb., 86/2. Prof. Moseley … expresses the view that the chlorophyllaceous corpuscles…, long known as constituents of the living substance of large Foraminifera, are *symbiotic algae.
1894. Oliver, trans. Kerner’s Nat. Hist. Plants, I. 254. Animals and Plants considered as a great symbiotic community.
1900. J. Hutchinson, in Archives Surg., XI. 224. The tubercle bacillus is probably present in symbiotic and often latent union with the tissues.
1888. Vines, in Encycl. Brit., XXIV. 128/2. A Lichen is a compound organism consisting of a Fungus and an Alga living *symbiotically.
1895. Oliver, trans. Kerner’s Nat. Hist. Plants, II. 233. Several plants … live symbiotically with certain … ants. The plants afford the ants lodging … and give them nourishment…; the ants in return defend the foliage against the attacks of leaf-eating animals.
1902. Encycl. Brit., XXV. 272/2. The remarkable *symbiotism between Algæ and Fungi.
