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inquiline

 - 3 dictionary results

in⋅qui⋅line

  [in-kwuh-lahyn, -lin]
Use inquiline in a Sentence
–noun
1. Zoology. an animal living in the nest, burrow, or body of another animal.
–adjective
2. of the nature of an inquiline.
Origin:
1635–45; < L inquilīnus tenant, equiv. to in- in- 2 + -quil-, comb. form (noninitially before a front vowel) of colere to live in (see -colous ) + -īnus -ine 1

Related forms:
in⋅qui⋅lin⋅i⋅ty  [in-kwuh-lin-i-tee] , noun
in⋅qui⋅li⋅nous  [in-kwuh-lahy-nuhs] , adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To inquiline
in·qui·line   (ĭn'kwə-līn', -lĭn, ĭng'-)   
n.  An animal that characteristically lives commensally in the nest, burrow, or dwelling place of an animal of another species.
adj.  Being or living as an inquiline.

[Latin inquilīnus, lodger, tenant : in-, in; see in-2 + colere, to inhabit; see kwel-1 in Indo-European roots.]
in'qui·lin·ism (-lə-nĭz'əm), in'qui·lin'i·ty (-lĭn'ĭ-tē) n., in'qui·lin'ous (-lī'nəs) adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: in·qui·line
Pronunciation: 'in-kw&-"lIn, 'i[ng]-, -l&n
Function: noun
: an animal (as the house mouse) that liveshabitually in the nest or abode (as a human dwelling) of some other species —in·qui·lin·ism /-l&-"niz-&m/ noun
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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