COMMENSAL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does commensal mean? 

• COMMENSAL (noun)
  The noun COMMENSAL has 1 sense:

1. either of two different animal or plant species living in close association but not interdependent

  Familiarity information: COMMENSAL used as a noun is very rare.

• COMMENSAL (adjective)
  The adjective COMMENSAL has 1 sense:

1. living in a state of commensalism

  Familiarity information: COMMENSAL used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• COMMENSAL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Either of two different animal or plant species living in close association but not interdependent

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("commensal" is a kind of...):

being; organism (a living thing that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function independently)

Derivation:

commensal (living in a state of commensalism)

• COMMENSAL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Living in a state of commensalism

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Domain category:

biological science; biology (the science that studies living organisms)

Pertainym:

commensalism (the relation between two different kinds of organisms when one receives benefits from the other without damaging it)

Derivation:

commensal (either of two different animal or plant species living in close association but not interdependent)

 Context examples 

M. elsdenii is a commensal organism of the intestinal tract and rarely has been shown to be an opportunistic pathogen in humans.

(Megasphaera elsdenii, NCI Thesaurus)

M. luteus is found in soil, dust, water and air and is a commensal organism of the skin, mouth and upper respiratory tract but may be considered pathogenic in immunocompromised individuals.

(Micrococcus luteus, NCI Thesaurus)

M. multacida is a commensal organism of the gastrointestinal tract.

(Mitsuokella multacida, NCI Thesaurus)

N. weaverii is commensal in dogs, but is often found in human wounds resulting from dog bites.

(Neisseria weaverii, NCI Thesaurus)

C. lari is associated in recurrent gastroenteritis in children, causes septicemia and enteritis in immunodeficient patients and is commensal in healthy seagulls, birds, mussels and oysters.

(Campylobacter lari, NCI Thesaurus)

C. coli is commensal in pigs, associated with indigenously acquired food borne disease, and recognized as the second most common pathogen for human campylobacteriosis.

(Campylobacter coli, NCI Thesaurus)

B. adolescentis is a commensal part of the normal human gastrointestinal tract flora and is sometimes added to dairy products to be used as a probiotic.

(Bifidobacterium adolescentis, NCI Thesaurus)

B. angulatum is generally found in V-shaped arrangements and is a commensal part of the normal human gastrointestinal tract flora.

(Bifidobacterium angulatum, NCI Thesaurus)

B. epidermidis is a commensal part of human skin, but can be pathogenic in other locations.

(Brevibacterium epidermidis, NCI Thesaurus)

P. niger is commensal to the human intestinal tract and has been isolated from the human naval and urine of adult women.

(Peptococcus niger, NCI Thesaurus)