Standard Lemma guide

commensal

adj · noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /kəˈmɛnsəl/

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of a form of symbiosis in which one organism derives a benefit while the other is unaffected.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: biology, ecology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Eating at the same table.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

An organism partaking in a commensal relationship.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, ecology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

One who eats at the same table.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective

Meaning 5

living in a state of commensalism

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

either of two different animal or plant species living in close association but not interdependent

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: organism, being

History

Etymology

From Middle English commensal, from Old French commensal, from Medieval Latin commensālis, from com- + mensa (“table”) + -ālis.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: паразитизъм (parazitizǎm) — of a form of symbiosis
  • Finnish: kommensaalinen — of a form of symbiosis
  • Hindi: सहभोज (sahbhoj) — of a form of symbiosis
  • Polish: komensaliczny — of a form of symbiosis
  • Spanish: comensal — of a form of symbiosis
  • Bulgarian: паразит (parazit) — organism partaking in a commensal relationship
  • Finnish: pöytävieras — organism partaking in a commensal relationship
  • Polish: komensal — organism partaking in a commensal relationship
  • Spanish: comensal — organism partaking in a commensal relationship
  • Bulgarian: сътрапезник (sǎtrapeznik) — One who eats at the same table
  • Catalan: comensal — One who eats at the same table
  • French: convive — One who eats at the same table
  • French: commensale — One who eats at the same table
  • German: Tischgenosse — One who eats at the same table
  • German: Tischgenossin — One who eats at the same table
  • Greek: συνδαιτυμόνας (syndaitymónas) — One who eats at the same table
  • Italian: commensale — One who eats at the same table
  • Polish: współbiesiadnik — One who eats at the same table
  • Polish: współbiesiadniczka — One who eats at the same table
  • Portuguese: comensal — One who eats at the same table