symbiotic - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From symbiosis +‎ -tic, from Ancient Greek συμβίωσις (sumbíōsis), from σύν (sún, “with”) + βίος (bíos, “life”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌsɪm.baɪˈɒt.ɪk/, /ˌsɪm.biˈɒt.ɪk/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌsɪm.baɪˈɑt.ɪk/, /ˌsɪm.biˈɑt.ɪk/
• Rhymes: -ɒtɪk

symbiotic (not comparable)

1. (ecology) Of, or relating to symbiosis; living together.

   A lichen is a fungus with symbiotic algae among its cells.

   • 2014 April 5, “Quite interesting: A quietly intriguing column from the brains behind QI, the BBC quiz show. This week; QI orchids you not”, in The Daily Telegraph (Weekend), page W22:

     Orchids rely on fungi to reproduce. Their tiny seeds don't have any on-board nutrients (like beans and apples) and will not germinate until they are infected by a symbiotic fungus which supplies them with food. Known as a protocorm, this tiny orchid-fungus ball grows, turns green and eventually starts to photosynthesise.

2. Of a relationship with mutual benefit between two individuals, organisms, or groups.

   • 2025 January 30, Dina Kraft, “How Gaza hostage-release drama works for both Hamas and Netanyahu”, in The Christian Science Monitor:

     [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's] arguably symbiotic relationship with Hamas goes back to his election in 1996, when he upset left-wing incumbent Shimon Peres following a spate of Hamas bombings, which Mr. Netanyahu said proved the peace process could not be trusted.

Although the biologic meaning of symbiotic strictly refers to "living together", regardless of the nature of the relationship, in casual speech the word typically implies a beneficial relationship.

• (with mutual benefit): mutualistic

• symbiont
• symbiote

symbiotic (plural symbiotics)

1. (astronomy) A symbiotic star.