symbiote

noun

sym·​bi·​ote ˈsim-bē-ˌōt  -ˌbī- 

plural symbiotes

: an organism living in symbiosis : symbiont

The thing in the crevice was some sort of vegetative symbiote, I conjectured. It fed its companions foods that it manufactured from air, water, subterranean temperature variances (if it had deep roots), and probably other lichens as well as minerals leached from the rock.

—Matthew Hughes

Examples of symbiote in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The film stars Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock — the host of an alien symbiote named Venom — and is directed by Kelly Marcel. —Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024

Kasady has become infected with an alien symbiote of his own, forcing Eddie and Venom to work together to save San Francisco from certain doom. —Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 30 Oct. 2024

The Mid-Credits Scene — the King in Black The central plot of The Last Dance revolves around Venom trying to stop the creator of the symbiotes, Knull (Andy Serkis), from escaping his celestial prison and returning all of existence to the Void, the blackness that predates the universe. —Richard Newby, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024

After all, Venom, like Spider-Man, is the big-screen property of Sony Pictures Entertainment, so the idea of the alien symbiote appearing in a future Spider-Man film seems completely within reason. —Tim Lammers, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

perhaps borrowed from French, borrowed from Greek symbiōtḗs "companion, partner," from symbiō-, variant stem of symbioûn "to live together" + -tēs, agent suffix — more at symbiosis

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

symbiote

noun

sym·​bi·​ote ˈsim-ˌbī-ˌōt  -bē- 

: symbiont