mutualism

[ myoo-choo-uh-liz-uhm ]

noun

1. a relationship between two species of organisms in which both benefit from the association.
2. the doctrine that the interdependence of social elements is the primary determinant of individual and social relations, especially the theory that common ownership of property, or collective effort and control governed by sentiments of brotherhood and mutual aid, will be beneficial to both the individual and society.
3. Sociology. the force or principle of mutual aid.

mutualism

/ ˈmjuːtʃʊəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. another name for symbiosis

mutualism

/ myo̅o̅′cho̅o̅-ə-lĭz′əm /

1. A relationship between two organisms in which each of the organisms benefits.
2. ◆ In obligate mutualism the interacting species are interdependent and cannot survive without each other. The fungi and algae that combine to form lichen are obligate mutualists.
3. ◆ In the more common facultative mutualism the interacting species derive benefit without being fully dependent. Many plants produce fruits that are eaten by birds, and the birds later excrete the seeds of these fruits far from the parent plant. While both species benefit, the birds have other food available to them, and the plants can disperse their seeds when the uneaten fruit drops.
4. Compare amensalism

Derived Forms

• ˈmutualist, nounadjective
• ˌmutualˈistic, adjective

Other Words From

• mutu·al·ist noun
• mutu·al·istic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mutualism¹

First recorded in 1860–65; mutual + -ism

Example Sentences

The Kobe University discovery blurs the line between mutualism and parasitism and sheds light on the evolution of complex plant-insect interactions.

From Science Daily

In return for their home, the ants ferociously defend the trees from gigantic plant eaters, like elephants, giraffes and other herbivores -- an arrangement ecologists call mutualism.

From Science Daily

The research provides critical insight into the complex communication involved in human-animal partnerships, says Oregon State University’s Mauricio Cantor, an expert in mutualism who was not involved in the study.

From National Geographic

Technically, that’s mutualism, a subset of symbiosis in which both creatures get something from the deal.

From Salon

We domesticated each other, through coevolution and mutualism, a symbiosis that is beneficial to both organisms involved.

From Salon