commensal
pronunciation
How to pronounce commensal in British English:
UK [kəˈmensl]
How to pronounce commensal in American English:
US [kəˈmɛnsəl]
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- Noun:
- either of two different animal or plant species living in close association but not interdependent
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- Adjective:
- living in a state of commensalism
Word Origin
- commensal (n.)
- "one who eats at the same table" (as another), c. 1400, from Old French commensal (15c.), from Medieval Latin commensalis, from com- "together" (see com-) + mensa (genitive mensalis) "table" (see mesa). Biological sense attested from 1870.
Example
- 1. Staphylococcus epidermidis is a commensal bacterium of the human skin .
- 2. Objective to study the anticoagulant rodenticide resistance in commensal rodents .
- 3. One commensal bacterial molecule - all we need for health ?
- 4. Why don 't we have commensal bacteria in our guts to do it ?
- 5. Digestion in the pitcher is aided , especially during the second year , by the commensal organisms that live in the pitchers .