Parasite

Pronunciation: /ˈpɛrəˌsaɪt/

Parasite (noun)

  1. A small animal or plant that lives on or inside another living thing and gets food from it.
  2. A person who takes advantage of others without giving anything back.
  3. An organism that depends on another for survival, often harming the host.

Examples

  • The parasite feeds on the nutrients of its host.
  • Parasites can cause diseases in their hosts.

Common collocations: parasitic infection, host organism, infect a host, social parasite, exploit others

Synonyms of Parasite

Formal

Neutral

Informal

Antonyms of Parasite

  • — In biological contexts, the host is the organism that supports the parasite.