commensal
[ kuh-men-suh l ]
/ kəˈmɛn səl /
adjective
eating together at the same table.
Ecology.
(of an animal, plant, fungus, etc.) living with, on, or in another, without injury to either.
Sociology.
(of a person or group) not competing while residing in or occupying the same area as another individual or group having independent or different values or customs.
noun
a companion at table.
Ecology.
a commensal organism.
Origin of commensal
OTHER WORDS FROM commensal
com·men·sal·ism, noun com·men·sal·i·ty [kom-en-sal-i-tee] /ˌkɒm ɛnˈsæl ɪ ti/, noun com·men·sal·ly, adverbWords nearby commensal
commend,
commendable,
commendam,
commendation,
commendatory,
commensal,
commensalism,
commensurable,
commensurate,
comment,
commentariat
Example sentences from the Web for commensal
British Dictionary definitions for commensal
commensal
/ (kəˈmɛnsəl) /
adjective
(of two different species of plant or animal) living in close association, such that one species benefits without harming the other
rare
of or relating to eating together, esp at the same table
commensal pleasures
noun
a commensal plant or animal
rare
a companion at table
Derived forms of commensal
commensalism, noun commensality (ˌkɒmɛnˈsælɪtɪ), noun commensally, adverbWord Origin for commensal
C14: from Medieval Latin
commensālis, from Latin
com- together +
mensa table
Medical definitions for commensal
commensal
[ kə-mĕn′səl ]
adj.
Of, relating to, or characterized by a symbiotic relationship in which one species is benefited while the other is unaffected.
n.
An organism participating in a symbiotic relationship in which one species derives some benefit while the other is unaffected.