symbiose

Forms

symbiose f (plural symbioses)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek συμβίωσις (sumbíōsis, “living together, companionship”),^[2][3][4][5] from συμβιόω (sumbióō, “to live together”), from σύν (sún, “with”) and βιόω (bióō, “to live”), itself from βίος (bíos, “life”).^[2][3][5][6]

The French word probably came through English or German, where the biological term is recorded in 1877 and 1879;^[3][7][2] the Petit Robert calls it a German word.^[8] The English word symbiosis had meant “living together” since 1622.^[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears in biology, in the Larousse of 1888 according to Cottez and the GLLF (1890 in the TLFi), for a lasting association of different organisms that profits each of them.^[2][6]

Semantic evolution

Proust uses it figuratively in 1920: Françoise lived en symbiose with the narrator's family.^[2][3] The phrase en symbiose means in close union with a person or group; since about 1969 the word is also used for a close union of things, persons or communities.^[3][9]

Its learned relatives were borrowed separately from Greek: symbiotique (1890), symbiote (1904) and symbionte.^[3]

Timeline

• 1888 – Recorded in the Larousse as a term of biology.^[6][2]
• 1890 – The Larousse's supplement, the TLFi's first dated text.^[2][3]
• 1920 – Proust uses en symbiose figuratively.^[2][3]
• c. 1969 – Extended to a close union of things or groups.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. (biology) Symbiosis, a lasting association of two or more different organisms that benefits each of them: Une algue et un champignon vivent en symbiose dans le lichen.^{[8][2][10][5]}
2. (figurative) A close and harmonious union: vivre en symbiose avec quelqu'un.^[11][10][8]

Related words

• symbiotique
• symbiote
• symbionte
• English symbiosis

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
6. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
10. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
11. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)