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symbiont
noun
sym·bi·ont
ˈsim-bē-ˌänt
Examples of symbiont in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Or consider the nuclear genes of the cells of advanced organisms (eukaryotes): At some early point in their evolution, these cells gained the help of the genes of a parasite or symbiont that became the mitochondrion, an organelle necessary for energy production.
—Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
Things seemed a touch downcast over at the FT’s Moral Money section, a generally reliable cheerleader for ESG (environmental, social, and governance investing) and its symbiont, stakeholder capitalism, on July 14.
—Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 25 July 2023
The extreme heat has triggered coral bleaching, where stressed corals expel their colorful algae symbionts, leaving them pale and vulnerable.
—NBC News, 16 July 2023
The work provides a speculative scenario that demonstrates how an autonomous A.I. system follows its own strategies for colonizing the architectural space and as an extension to become a human symbiont.
—IEEE Spectrum, 21 Aug. 2022
So rather than teaming up with a symbiont, why not cut out the middle-man and take its chloroplasts for yourself?
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 18 Sep. 2012
The spirochete lives permanently as a symbiont in the patient.
—Dick Teresi, Discover Magazine, 17 June 2011
When Shori takes on another male symbiont, Wright punches a hole in the wall.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2022
Jenkins suspected that this stabilizing mechanism might involve the organisms’ RNA because his colleagues had noticed many regions of strong similarity between host and symbiont transcripts floating around in the cytoplasm.
—Quanta Magazine, 7 June 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'symbiont.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near symbiont
Cite this Entry
“Symbiont.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/symbiont. Accessed 12 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
symbiont
noun
sym·bi·ont
ˈsim-ˌbī-ˌänt
-bē-
: an individual living in symbiosis
especially
: the smaller member of a symbiotic pair
Medical Definition
More from Merriam-Webster on symbiont
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about symbiont
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