endosymbiosis: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2scientific/technical/academic
Quick answer
What does “endosymbiosis” mean?
A type of symbiotic relationship in which one organism lives inside the cells or body of another.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A type of symbiotic relationship in which one organism lives inside the cells or body of another.
A biological theory proposing that certain organelles within eukaryotic cells, such as mitochondria and chloroplasts, originated as free-living prokaryotic organisms that were engulfed by a host cell and established a mutually beneficial relationship.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning, usage, or spelling. The term is uniformly technical.
Connotations
None beyond the strict scientific definition.
Frequency
Equally rare outside specialized contexts in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “endosymbiosis” in a Sentence
N (e.g., The endosymbiosis of bacteria)N + of + N (e.g., endosymbiosis of a cyanobacterium)V-link + in + N (e.g., The relationship resulted in endosymbiosis.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “endosymbiosis” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The bacterium was endosymbiosed by the ancestral host cell.
- These algae appear to have endosymbiosed multiple times.
American English
- The bacterium was endosymbiosed by the ancestral host cell.
- Researchers theorize how the plastid was endosymbiosed.
adverb
British English
- [Very rare; not standard]
American English
- [Very rare; not standard]
adjective
British English
- The endosymbiotic origin of mitochondria is widely accepted.
- They observed an endosymbiotic relationship in the insect's gut.
American English
- The endosymbiotic origin of mitochondria is widely accepted.
- This is a classic case of an endosymbiotic event.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Central term in evolutionary biology and cell biology courses and research.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
Precise term in microbiology, evolutionary biology, and related scientific literature.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “endosymbiosis”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “endosymbiosis”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “endosymbiosis”
- Misspelling as 'endosymbiossis' or 'endo-symbiosis'.
- Using it to describe any close biological relationship, rather than a specific intracellular one.
- Confusing it with 'ectosymbiosis' (where one organism lives on the surface of another).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Endosymbiosis is a specific type of symbiosis where one organism lives *inside* the cells of the other, whereas general symbiosis can involve any close, long-term biological interaction (e.g., on the surface, nearby).
In its core biological definition and in the context of the endosymbiotic theory, it refers to a mutually beneficial relationship. In broader, less technical usage, it might sometimes refer to internal parasitism, but this is not standard.
Evidence includes: mitochondria and chloroplasts have their own DNA (circular, like bacteria), they have double membranes, they reproduce independently via binary fission within the cell, and their ribosomes resemble bacterial ones.
While 'endosymbiosed' is sometimes used in technical literature, it is highly specialized and non-standard. The noun form 'endosymbiosis' or phrases like 'underwent endosymbiosis' are far more common and recommended.
A type of symbiotic relationship in which one organism lives inside the cells or body of another.
Endosymbiosis is usually scientific/technical/academic in register.
Endosymbiosis: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɛndəʊsɪmbaɪˈəʊsɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɛndoʊsɪmbaɪˈoʊsɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None directly associated]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think ENDO (inside) + SYMBIOSIS (living together) = living together INSIDE.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PERMANENT MERGER or PERMANENT ROOMATE within a cell.
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'endosymbiosis' primarily used?