Standard Lemma guide

symbiogenesis

noun · 1 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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1

noun

Meaning 1

The merging of two separate organisms to form a single new organism.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: biology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From sym- + bio- + -genesis. Coined in German by the Russian lichenologist Konstantin Mereschkowski, in a 1910 paper entitled "Theorie der zwei Plasmaarten als Grundlage der Symbiogenesis, einer neuen Lehre von der Entstehung der Organismen."

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: symbiogenese — merging of organisms to form a new organism
  • Esperanto: simbiogenezo — merging of organisms to form a new organism
  • German: Symbiogenese — merging of organisms to form a new organism
  • Japanese: シンビオジェネシス — merging of organisms to form a new organism
  • Khmer: សហជីវជៈ (sak hak ji vak jeak) — merging of organisms to form a new organism
  • Khmer: សហជីវៈកំណើត (sak hak ji vak kom nert) — merging of organisms to form a new organism
  • Norwegian: symbiogenese — merging of organisms to form a new organism