consortism

Noun

consortism (uncountable)

1. A close, prolonged association between two or more organisms of different species.
   • Our reply is : — It may possibly be a mere state of consortism — another of the many familiar instances of two diverse organisms being found in company.1884, Worthington George Smith, Diseases of Field and Garden Crops: Chiefly Such as are Caused by Fungi
   • The alga, on the contrary, derives a definite advantage from its consortism with the fungus, receiving from it inorganic substances and water, and possibly organic substances also.1911, Francis Rolt-Wheeler, The Fact Book, page 966

   Synonyms:

   symbiosis

2. (India) The relationship between consorts.
   • Nowhere in the Vaisnava artistic tradition does one find the kind of representation of divine consortism that occurs in the Śaiva tradition, and based on this alone it is possible to assert that divine consortism in the Vaisnava tradition does not reflect the praka-śavimarśa aspect of consciousness...1996, Harsha V. Dehejia, The Advaita of art, page 165
   • The consortism of Śiva and Pārvatī is a perfect artistic model of Kāśmīr Śaivism which ultimately leads to the ānanda of aesthetic realisatiton.2001, Neeta Yadav, Ardhanārīśvara in Art and Literature, →ISBN, page 142