mutualism

From mutual +‎ -ism. Compare French mutualisme and Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish mutualismo.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈmjuː.tʃʊ.əˌlɪz.m̩/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈmju.t͡ʃu.əˌlɪz.m̩/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: mu‧tu‧al‧ism

mutualism (countable and uncountable, plural mutualisms)

1. (ecology) Any interaction between two species that benefits both; typically involves the exchange of substances or services.
2. (economics) An economic theory and anarchist school of thought that advocates a society where each person might possess a means of production, either individually or collectively, with trade representing equivalent amounts of labor in the free market.

• anarcho-mutualism

• commensalism

Borrowed from French mutualisme. By surface analysis, mutual +‎ -ism.

mutualism n (uncountable)

1. mutualism, mutuality