Meanings
plural symbioses
- countableuncountableA relationship of mutual benefit, especially among different species.
- countableuncountablebiologyThe close and long-term relationship or interaction between two or more different species.
- countableespeciallyuncountablebiologyThe close and long-term relationship or interaction between two or more different species in which all organisms benefit; mutualism.
Bees and flowers display symbiosis. The bees get nectar and the flowers get pollinated.
- countableuncountableThe state of people of different types, races, cultures, communities, etc., living together.
- countableuncountableThe occurrence of two different or opposing things in the same time and place.
In this peculiar and deadly symbiosis the presence of warfare stimulates trade and the presence of trade stimulates warfare.
1981, William Irwin Thompson, The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology, Sexuality and the Origins of Culture, London: Rider/Hutchinson & Co., page 135
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe relation between two different species of organisms that are interdependent; each gains benefits from the other
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Ancient Greekσυμβίωσις“living together”
- Englishsymbiosis
From Ancient Greek συμβίωσις (sumbíōsis, “living together”). By surface analysis, sym- + -biosis.
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic تَكَافُل
- تَكَافُل (takāful)relationship of mutual benefit
Bulgarian симбиоза
- симбиоза (simbioza)relationship of mutual benefit
Catalan simbiosi
- simbiosirelationship of mutual benefit
Chinese Mandarin 共生
- 共生 (gòngshēng)relationship of mutual benefit
Czech symbióza
- symbiózarelationship of mutual benefit
Danish symbiose
- symbioserelationship of mutual benefit
Dutch symbiose
- symbioserelationship of mutual benefit
Estonian sümbioos
- sümbioosrelationship of mutual benefit
Finnish symbioosi
- symbioosirelationship of mutual benefit
French symbiose
- symbioserelationship of mutual benefit
German Symbiose
- Symbioserelationship of mutual benefit
Hebrew סימביוזה
- סימביוזה (simbyoza)relationship of mutual benefit
Hindi सहजीवन
- सहजीवन (sahjīvan)relationship of mutual benefit
Hungarian szimbiózis
- szimbiózisrelationship of mutual benefit
Indonesian simbiosis
- simbiosisrelationship of mutual benefit
Italian simbiosi
- simbiosirelationship of mutual benefit
Japanese 共生
- 共生 (kyōsei)relationship of mutual benefit
Korean 공생
- 공생 (gongsaeng)relationship of mutual benefit
Latin symbiosis
- symbiosisrelationship of mutual benefit
Latvian simbioze
- simbiozerelationship of mutual benefit
Malay simbiosis
- simbiosisrelationship of mutual benefit
Persian همزیستی
- همزیستی (hamzisti)relationship of mutual benefit
Polish symbioza
- symbiozarelationship of mutual benefit
Portuguese simbiose
- simbioserelationship of mutual benefit
Russian симбио́з
- симбио́з (simbióz)relationship of mutual benefit
Spanish simbiosis
- simbiosisrelationship of mutual benefit
Swedish symbios
- symbiosrelationship of mutual benefit
Tagalog salighayan
- salighayanrelationship of mutual benefit
Tamil ஒன்றிய வாழ்வு
- ஒன்றிய வாழ்வு (oṉṟiya vāḻvu)relationship of mutual benefit
Ukrainian симбіо́з
- симбіо́з (symbióz)relationship of mutual benefit
Vietnamese cộng sinh
- cộng sinhrelationship of mutual benefit
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with symbiosis
Cite this entry
symbiosis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/symbiosis
“symbiosis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/symbiosis. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “symbiosis,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/symbiosis.
Source: symbiosis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.