different between pathogen vs commensal

English

Etymology

From patho- +? -gen.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?pæ??d?n?/
• Hyphenation: path?o?gen

Noun

pathogen (plural pathogens)

1. (pathology, immunology) Any organism or substance, especially a microorganism, capable of causing disease, such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa or fungi. Microorganisms are not considered to be pathogenic until they have reached a population size that is large enough to cause disease.

Derived terms

Translations

Anagrams

• heptagon, phone tag

English

Etymology

From Old French commensal, from Medieval Latin commensalis.

Adjective

commensal (not comparable)

1. (ecology) Of a form of symbiosis in which one organism derives a benefit while the other is unaffected.
2. Eating at the same table.

Translations

Noun

commensal (plural commensals)

1. (ecology) An organism partaking in a commensal relationship.
   • 2001, Yann Martel, Life of Pi, Canongate (2003), ?ISBN, page 260:

     The tree did indeed grow right out of the algae, as I had seen from the lifeboat. There was not the least trace of soil. Either there was soil deeper down, or this species of tree was a remarkable instance of a commensal or a parasite.

2. One who eats at the same table.

Translations

Related terms

• commensalism
• commensality
• endocommensal
• endocommensalism
• ectocommensal

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin commens?lis.

Adjective

commensal (feminine singular commensale, masculine plural commensaux, feminine plural commensales)

1. commensal

Noun

commensal m (plural commensaux)

1. commensal

Related terms

• commensalisme

Further reading

• “commensal” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).