parasite

/ˌpɛrəˈsaɪt/

/ˈpærəsaɪt/

Other forms: parasites

A creature that lives off another organism is a parasite. The parasite might not hurt the host, but it doesn't do anything to help it, either.

If you call someone a parasite, you are really hurling an insult! The Ancient Greeks used the word parasitos to describe someone who ate at your table but never invited you back. Some telling synonyms include leech," toady, sponge, and hanger-on." Nice, huh? Some crafty birds, such as the cowbird or cuckoo, are called social parasites, laying their eggs in other birds' nests and expecting those mamas to raise their young for them. Unfortunately, there are some people like that, too.

Definitions of parasite

1. noun

   an animal or plant that lives in or on a host (another animal or plant); it obtains nourishment from the host without benefiting or killing the host
   antonyms:

   host

   an animal or plant that nourishes and supports a parasite; it does not benefit and is often harmed by the association

   types:

   endoparasite, endozoan, entoparasite, entozoan, entozoon

   any of various parasites that live in the internal organs of animals (especially intestinal worms)

   ectoparasite, ectozoan, ectozoon, epizoan, epizoon

   any external parasitic organism (as fleas)

   parasitic plant

   plant living on another plant and obtaining organic nutriment from it

   flea

   any wingless bloodsucking parasitic insect noted for ability to leap

   Parasitaxus ustus, parasite yew

   rare and endangered monoecious parasitic conifer of New Caledonia; parasitic on Falcatifolium taxoides

   Buckleya distichophylla, buckleya

   parasitic shrub of the eastern United States having opposite leaves and insignificant greenish flowers followed by oily dull green olivelike fruits

   Comandra pallida, bastard toadflax

   woody creeping parasite of western North America having numerous thick powdery leaves and panicles of small dull-white flowers

   Pyrularia pubera, buffalo nut, rabbitwood

   shrub of southeastern United States parasitic on roots of hemlocks having sparse spikes of greenish flowers and pulpy drupes

   Loranthaceae, family Loranthaceae, mistletoe family

   in some classification includes Viscaceae: parasitic or hemiparasitic shrublets or shrubs or small trees of tropical and temperate regions; attach to hosts by haustoria

   Loranthus europaeus, mistletoe

   shrub of central and southeastern Europe; partially parasitic on beeches, chestnuts and oaks

   American mistletoe, Arceuthobium pusillum

   small herb with scalelike leaves on reddish-brown stems and berrylike fruits; parasitic on spruce and larch trees

   Christmas tree, Nuytsia floribunda, fire tree, flame tree

   a terrestrial evergreen shrub or small tree of western Australia having brilliant yellow-orange flowers; parasitic on roots of grasses

   Old World mistletoe, Viscum album, mistletoe

   Old World parasitic shrub having branching greenish stems with leathery leaves and waxy white glutinous berries; the traditional mistletoe of Christmas

   false mistletoe, mistletoe

   American plants closely resembling Old World mistletoe

   hemiparasite, semiparasite

   a parasitic plant that contains some chlorophyll and therefore is capable of photosynthesis

   type of:

   being, organism

   a living thing that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function independently
2. noun

   a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage
   synonyms: leech, sponge, sponger

   type of:

   follower

   a person who accepts the leadership of another