commensal

English

Etymology

From Old French commensal, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Medieval Latin commensalis.

Adjective

commensal (not comparable)

1. (ecology) Of a form of symbiosis in which one organism derives a benefit while the other is unaffected.
2. Eating at the same table.

Translations

of a form of symbiosis

• Bulgarian: паразитизъм m (parazitizǎm)
• Finnish: kommensaalinen
• Polish: komensaliczny
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Spanish: comensal (es)

Noun

commensal (plural commensals)

1. (ecology) An organism partaking in a commensal relationship.
   • 2001, Yann Martel, Life of Pi, Canongate (2003), →ISBN, page 260:

     The tree did indeed grow right out of the algae, as I had seen from the lifeboat. There was not the least trace of soil. Either there was soil deeper down, or this species of tree was a remarkable instance of a commensal or a parasite.

2. One who eats at the same table.

Translations

organism partaking in a commensal relationship

• Bulgarian: паразит (bg) (parazit)
• Finnish: pöytävieras
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Polish: komensal m
• Spanish: comensal (es)

One who eats at the same table

• Bulgarian: сътрапезник m (sǎtrapeznik)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

Related terms

• commensalism
• commensality
• endocommensal
• endocommensalism
• ectocommensal

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French

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin commensālis.

Adjective

commensal (feminine commensale, masculine plural commensaux, feminine plural commensales)

1. commensal

Noun

commensal m (plural commensaux)

1. commensal

Related terms

• commensalisme

Further reading

• “commensal”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.