SINCE 1828
dictionary
thesaurus

symphile

noun
Save Word
sym·​phile | \ ˈsimˌfīl \
plural -s

Definition of symphile

: an insect (such as any of various beetles) living as a guest in the nest of a social insect (such as an ant or termite) by which it is fed and guarded for its secretions which are used as food

— called also myrmecoxene, true guest

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

History and Etymology for symphile

probably back-formation from symphily

Learn More About symphile

Dictionary Entries Near symphile

Symphalangus

symphile

symphilic

See More Nearby Entries 

Statistics for symphile

Cite this Entry

“Symphile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/symphile. Accessed 30 Jun. 2022.

Style: MLA
MLACheck Mark Icon ChicagoCheck Mark Icon APACheck Mark Icon Merriam-WebsterCheck Mark Icon

WORD OF THE DAY

scintillate

Listen to the pronunciation of scintillate

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Great Words for Scrabble

  • scrabble tiles that read scrabble quiz
  • Which of the following Q-without-U words means the number five in cards or dice?
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Universal Daily Crossword

A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games