mutualistic en · ADJ
Etymology
Etymology tree English mutual Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Hellenic *-tās Ancient Greek -τής (-tḗs) Ancient Greek -ῐστής (-ĭstḗs)bor. Latin -istader. Old French -istebor. Middle English -ist English -ist Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic English -istic English mutualistic From mutual + -istic.
Meanings
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Mutually beneficial.
Mutualistic relationships, such as those that give rise to lichens, or plants' relationships with mycorrhizal fungi, were curious exceptions to the rule—where they were acknowledged to exist at all.
2020, Merlin Sheldrake, Entangled Life, page 234:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| more mutualistic | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most mutualistic | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Deriveds
mutualistically · nonmutualistic