commensal
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English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Middle English commensal, from Old French commensal, from Medieval Latin commensālis, from com- + mensa (“table”) + -ālis.
Pronunciation[edit]
Adjective[edit]
commensal (not comparable)
- (ecology) Of a form of symbiosis in which one organism derives a benefit while the other is unaffected.
- Eating at the same table.
Translations[edit]
of a form of symbiosis
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Noun[edit]
commensal (plural commensals)
- (ecology) An organism partaking in a commensal relationship.
- 2001, Yann Martel, Life of Pi, Canongate, published 2003, →ISBN, page 260:
- The tree did indeed grow right out of the algae, as I had seen from the lifeboat. There was not the least trace of soil. Either there was soil deeper down, or this species of tree was a remarkable instance of a commensal or a parasite.
- One who eats at the same table.
Translations[edit]
organism partaking in a commensal relationship
One who eats at the same table
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Related terms[edit]
French[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Medieval Latin commēnsālis.
Pronunciation[edit]
Adjective[edit]
commensal (feminine commensale, masculine plural commensaux, feminine plural commensales)
Noun[edit]
commensal m (plural commensaux)
Related terms[edit]
Further reading[edit]
- “commensal”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
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