Definitions

1. noun

An organism that lives in close association with another organism of a different species, often receiving nutrients from the other organism.

“The coral reef is a symbiont with the tiny algae that live inside its tissues, providing it with nutrients in exchange for shelter.”

2. noun

A microorganism that lives on or inside a host organism and often supplies the host with nutrients, such as nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the roots of legume plants.

“The symbiont bacteria in the soil help the plant to grow by converting atmospheric nitrogen into a form that the plant can use.”