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
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At the end of Season 1, Spider-Man and Doctor Strange team up to fight a mysterious symbiote alien, who leaves behind a small trace of symbiotic goo that Osborn collects and investigates. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026 Trying to clear his name, Eddie Brock is hunted by a monster sent by the creator of the symbiotes, only to uncover a secret operation in Area 51 to harvest the creatures and exploit them. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026 Brock’s arrival, coupled with the symbiote reveal at the end of season 1, appears to set up the Venom arc. — Devan Coggan, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Aug. 2026 Baker and his team placed a bevy of hard corals on the structure, including corals implanted with a more heat-resistant algal symbiote (the tiny critters that live inside the coral animal and provide it shade and food). — Alex Harris july 22, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for symbiote

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of symbiote was in 1877

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Cite this Entry

“Symbiote.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/symbiote. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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