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SYMBIOSIS

Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2005 7:04 am
by Dr. Goodword
• symbiosis •

Pronunciation: sim-bee-os-sis • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: 1. A mutually beneficial relationship between two organisms; the opposite of parasitism in which one organ benefits at the expense of its host. 2. More broadly, any mutually beneficial or dependent relationship.

Notes: The relationship indicated by this word is a symbiotic one. A member of such a mutually beneficial relationship is either an simbiont or symbiote. The plural of this word is symbioses, usually referring to different kinds of symbiotic relationships. Millions of symbiotic microbes live all over our skin, cleaning up dirt, debris, and oils. Their relationship is called ectosymbiosis because they live on the outside of us. Termites are known to have endosymbiotic bacteria in their intestines that help digest the wood eaten by termites.

In Play: The termite example suggests further uses like this: "I don't know why you say my brother is a parasite just because he is living with us. Since he reduces our food and alcohol intake, you could just as easily see it as a symbiotic relationship." Joking aside, this is a very lovely word with a lovely sense: "Their relationship was more than a marriage, it was a symbiotic relationship."

Word History: This word is made up of 3 parts: sym "with, together" + bio "life, living" + osis "a condition". The prefix-preposition sym is found in many words, such as symphony, a group of sounds together, and sympathy, the kindness of sharing the burden of a tragedy together with someone. Bio- is found in many words, such as biology, the scientific study of life, and biography

Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2005 1:08 pm
by Brazilian dude
Portuguese: simbiose
Spanish: simbiosis
Italian/Catalan: simbiosi
French: symbiose
Romanian: simbioză

Brazilian dude

Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2005 10:46 am
by M. Henri Day
Swedish : symbios
Norweigian (bokmål), Danish : symbiose

To my mind, the opposite of symbiosis would not be parasitism, in which one organism profits at the expense of another with which it co-exists, but rather one in which both organisms suffered as a result of that co-existence. I know of no term for this state, but to any fellow Agorists who believe it to be adequately described by the term «marriage», remember : you said so !...

Henri

Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2005 11:22 am
by Brazilian dude
That was great, Henri. :lol: I'm glad you're back.

Brazilian dude

Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2005 4:07 pm
by Stargzer
That was great, Henri. :lol: I'm glad you're back.

Brazilian dude
Yes, I, too, noticed the paucity of posts recently: he must have been on vacation. I'm sure that coming here to the AlphaAgora is a busman's holiday for him. :wink:

Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2005 8:33 pm
by tcward
To my mind, the opposite of symbiosis would not be parasitism, in which one organism profits at the expense of another with which it co-exists, but rather one in which both organisms suffered as a result of that co-existence. I know of no term for this state...
Hmm... How about synthanatosis...?

-Tim

Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2005 8:36 pm
by tcward
Or would that rather be symkybosis...?

-Tim

Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2005 7:52 am
by M. Henri Day
Tim, you've soared way over my head again ! «*Κυβοσις» ?...

Henri

Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2005 8:02 am
by M. Henri Day
... I'm sure that coming here to the AlphaAgora is a busman's holiday for him. :wink:
I once was taken to task for using this selfsame metaphor - my interlocutor insisted that it should be «busperson's holiday» instead. And there are those here who think me a fundamentalist !...

Henri

Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2005 5:15 pm
by tcward
Tim, you've soared way over my head again ! «*Κυβοσις» ?...
Yep, that's the root I had in mind. What think ye?

-Tim

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 1:11 am
by Stargzer
To my mind, the opposite of symbiosis would not be parasitism, in which one organism profits at the expense of another with which it co-exists, but rather one in which both organisms suffered as a result of that co-existence. I know of no term for this state...
Hmm... How about synthanatosis...?

-Tim
Thanatosis?

Thanatosis?

Thanatosis? (gangrene; necrosis; state imitating death )

Thanatosis?

Or Thanatopsis? Or Thanatopsis?

Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 8:44 am
by M. Henri Day
...

Yep, that's the root I had in mind. What think ye?
Tim, I haven't a clue - tell me more !...

Henri