symbiont

[ sim-bee-ont, -bahy- ]
/ ˈsɪm biˌɒnt, -baɪ- /

noun Biology.

an organism living in a state of symbiosis.
Also sym·bi·ote [sim-bee-oht, -bahy-] /ˈsɪm biˌoʊt, -baɪ-/.

Origin of symbiont

1885–90; < Greek symbiont- (stem of symbiṓn), present participle of symbioûn “to live together”; see symbiosis, onto-

OTHER WORDS FROM symbiont

sym·bi·on·tic [sim-bee-on-tik, -bahy-] /ˌsɪm biˈɒn tɪk, -baɪ-/, adjective

Words nearby symbiont

sym., symballophone, symbion, symbionese, symbionese liberation army, symbiont, symbiosis, symbiotic, symblepharon, symblepharopterygium, symbol

Example sentences from the Web for symbiont

British Dictionary definitions for symbiont

symbiont
/ (ˈsɪmbɪˌɒnt) /

noun

an organism living in a state of symbiosis

Derived forms of symbiont

symbiontic, adjective symbiontically, adverb

Word Origin for symbiont

C19: from Greek sumbioun to live together, from bioun to live

Scientific definitions for symbiont

symbiont
[ sĭm′bē-ŏnt′, -bī- ]
symbiote (sĭm′bē-ōt′, -bī-)

An organism in a symbiotic relationship. In cases in which a distinction is made between two interacting organisms, the symbiont is the smaller of the two and is always a beneficiary in the relationship, while the larger organism is the host and may or may not derive a benefit. See also host parasite.