ectosymbiosis

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noun

A form of symbiosis in which a partner (the ectosymbiont) remains on the surface of its host

OriginEnglish symbiosis ← Ancient Greek ἐκτός (ektós) →
Scrabble 22
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Meanings

nounectosymbiosis (plural ectosymbioses)

plural ectosymbioses

  1. biologyA form of symbiosis in which a partner (the ectosymbiont) remains on the surface of its host

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἐκ (ek)
  2. Ancient Greekἐντός (entós)
  3. Ancient Greekἐκτός (ektós)
  4. Englishecto-
  5. Englishsymbiosis
  6. Englishectosymbiosis

From ecto- + symbiosis.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

ectosymbiosis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ectosymbiosis

MLA

“ectosymbiosis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ectosymbiosis. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ectosymbiosis,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ectosymbiosis.

Source: ectosymbiosis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.