Definition

The surgical or natural joining of two living organisms, often allowing for the exchange of blood or other biological materials between them.

Example

Parabiosis has been studied to understand the effects of shared blood circulation on aging.

Conversation

I was reading about parabiosis and found it really fascinating.

Oh, really? What is it exactly?

It's the process where two organisms are joined together, often sharing blood.

That sounds really interesting! I wonder how that affects their health.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Parabiosis is formed from "para-" (meaning alongside or beyond) and "biosis" (from Greek "bios", meaning life). The term describes a condition or process that occurs alongside or in relation to life, often used in biological contexts to refer to the physiological effects of one organism on another when they are joined together.

Memory Tip

Think of 'para-' meaning 'alongside' and 'biosis' relating to 'life' — this helps you remember that parabiosis refers to a condition that occurs alongside life.

Visually Confused Words