MEANING
Living in or on a host and obtaining resources at that host's expense.
Use it for
A body sustaining an intruder; dependence that consumes its source; covert biological exploitationShow the host paying the cost of another organism's survival.
Words that belong together
- parasitic organism
- parasitic infection
- parasitic growth
On the page
The parasitic organism fed without leaving the host.
They found parasitic larvae beneath the animal's skin.
The growth was parasitic, drawing nourishment from tissue around it.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- parasitic
Usage notes
Primary category: horror. Biological dependence with harm or cost distinguishes parasitism from mere attachment. Figurative uses criticize exploitation, not all dependence. Adjective; normally non-gradable; use the base form rather than mechanical -er/-est forms. Derived/related family (not inflections): parasite and parasitism (nouns).
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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