symbiotic

adjective

sym·​bi·​ot·​ic ˌsim-bē-ˈä-tik 

: relating to or marked by symbiosis:

a

: characterized by, living in, or being a close physical association (as in mutualism or commensalism) between two or more dissimilar organisms

The truffle is a … fungus that forms a symbiotic relationship with its host tree.

—Robb Walsh

Termites harbor diverse symbiotic gut microorganisms, the majority of which are as yet uncultivable and their interrelationships unclear.

—Yuichi Hongoh et al.

b

: characterized by or being a close, cooperative, or interdependent relationship

Today, art advisers are as diverse as the clients they help. They often work alone and form intimate, symbiotic relationships with the people they serve.

—Deborah Gimelson

Sigal's study … illustrates how reporters' constant need for news and how government officials' need for publicity and favorable coverage for their agencies combine into a symbiotic relationship between Washington reporters and officials.

—Charles R. Wright

symbiotically

ˌsim-bē-ˈä-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Some species of clams … live symbiotically with sulfur-loving bacteria: the bacteria, which live on the clams' gills, get sulfide from the clams, and the clams, in turn, feed on the bacteria.

—Natural History

The irony is that the Pentagon and the Soviet Defense Ministry prosper symbiotically.

—Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.

Examples of symbiotic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

More on China Business with Elon Musk: Tesla and China built a symbiotic relationship that made Musk ultrarich. —Steven Lee Myers, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024

These remarkable organisms, which can grow up to 6.6 feet, depend on symbiotic bacteria in their bodies to transform sulfur vent emissions into usable energy. —Anna Nordseth, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024

Genes involved in apoptosis may have come from former symbiotic partners that have since departed. —Quanta Magazine, 6 Mar. 2024

As the three-day Country Radio Seminar (CRS) rolled through its first two days, Feb. 28 and 29, the two A’s — authenticity and AI — were key touch points for broadcasters and for the music makers themselves as the symbiotic entities grappled with an ever-changing business landscape. —Tom Roland, Billboard, 6 Mar. 2024

As your organization embraces these examples and tools, the symbiotic relationship between data and AI becomes the bedrock of strategic risk management. —Sal Rehmetullah, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

Benches in the installation encourage contemplation of the nature of time and the symbiotic nature of myriad life forms. —Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 13 Dec. 2023

Ceanothus enriches the soil due to its symbiotic relationship with Frankia bacteria that live in its roots and transform atmospheric nitrogen into a form that can be taken up by plants. —Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 8 Mar. 2024

The odd growth could be the result of a fungal infection, which is common in frogs, or evidence of a symbiotic relationship. —Katie Hunt, CNN, 2 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

symbi(osis) + -otic entry 1, probably after German symbiotisch

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

symbiotic

adjective

sym·​bi·​ot·​ic ˌsim-ˌbī-ˈät-ik  -bē- 

variants also symbiotical

-i-kəl 

: relating to, characterized by, living in, or resulting from a state of symbiosis

symbiotically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb