mutualism.

1. A biological association in which both participating organisms benefit.

2. A social or economic doctrine based on voluntary reciprocal exchange, especially a tradition within anarchist thought.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• a mutualistic association
• obligate mutualism

On the page

The two organisms formed a mutualism that neither observation alone had revealed.

The story’s obligate mutualism made separation more dangerous than contact.

Usage notes

Primary category: sci-fi. Forms: Usually uncountable; plural mutualisms for distinct associations or doctrines. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings.