mu·tu·al·ism / mew.chew.al.ism /
noun – a type of symbiotic relationship, typically where both organisms involved get something of value.
study note: for most, mutualism is what comes to mind when they hear “symbiosis.”
related forms of mutualism: mutualistic (the practice of mutualism), mutualist (an organism displaying mutualism)
mutualism in a sentence: Did you know humans have a mutualistic relationship with our gut bacteria?
examples of mutualism in nature: honey bees & flowers, sally lightfoot crabs & marine iguanas, clownfish & anemone
see also: symbiosis, parasitism, commensalism