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Glite Dictionary
antibiosis

antibiosis

9.9
One living thing harms another or makes chemicals that hurt it
  • noun
  • /ˌæntiˈbaɪəsɪs/
  • Specialized
: antibiosis
  • The production of antibiotics by fungi is a classic example of antibiosis in nature.

Examples

  • Many plants use antibiosis to protect themselves from pests.

  • Researchers observed antibiosis between certain bacteria and their competitors in the petri dish.

  • Understanding antibiosis can help develop new strategies to control harmful microbes.

  • The antibiosis between the bacteria and fungi was evident.

  • Researchers observed antibiosis between certain bacteria and their competitors in the petri dish.

  • The production of antibiotics by fungi is a classic example of antibiosis in nature.

  • Many plants use antibiosis to protect themselves from pests.

Surface Forms

antibiosis singular
antibioses plural

Morphology

antibiosis = biosis (opaque) = anti + bio + sis

The term is a technical biological formation: anti- plus biosis gives only a loose clue of opposition involving life, not the full specialized meaning.

Etymology

The word antibiosis comes from the parts anti- 'against' and bios 'life'. So, antibiosis describes when one living thing acts 'against' another, like when a fungus makes a chemical that harms bacteria.