parasitic

adjective

par·​a·​sit·​ic ˌper-ə-ˈsi-tik How to pronounce parasitic (audio)
ˌpa-rə-
variants or less commonly parasitical
1
: of, relating to, or being a parasite: such as
a(1)
: living on another organism in parasitism
Some caterpillars even sport white spots that resemble the eggs of the parasitic wasps that prey upon caterpillars …Mary Parker Sonis
a parasitic yeast/plant
Filariasis, caused by parasitic worms in the human lymphatic system and carried in mosquitoes, infects some eighty million people in tropical and subtropical regions of the world.Wayne Biddle
(2)
: caused by or resulting from the effects of parasites
a parasitic disease/infection
(3)
of a bird : laying eggs in the nest of another bird
The cowbird and the cuckoo are parasitic birds.
b
: exploiting the hospitality of others : depending on another or others for existence or support without making a useful or adequate return
… manipulated and glorified by self-serving, parasitic northern bureaucrats.Edward Friedman
2
phonetics : of, relating to, or constituting a speech sound that is interposed between two other sounds usually as a by-product of transition from one place of articulation to another
The \ə\ in \ˈeləm\ for elm or in \ˈathəˌlēt\ for athlete, the \t\ in \fents\ for fence, and the \b\ and b in \ˈnimbəl\ nimble from Middle English nimel are parasitic.
parasitically adverb
During sexually quiescent phase, lampreys live simply, communally or parasitically upon other fish. Earl W. Count
… those who live parasitically on the political system … John Derbyshire

Examples of parasitic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Further labs and imaging at the hospital showed that the cysts were parasitic tapeworm larvae that had taken up residence in his brain and caused an infection called neurocysticercosis, the report said. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024 From the parasitic mating techniques of some anglerfish to vibrant bioluminescent displays by deep-sea squid, here are two of the most interesting ways the ocean keeps life alive at her depths. Scott Travers, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 She’s seen an uptick in varicella, also known as chicken pox, and even some parasitic problems caused by poor drinking water that migrants have consumed on their journeys to the United States. Julia Ainsley, NBC News, 27 Jan. 2024 But the parasitic worm has been touted as a cure-all by various ancient medicine traditions: It can be seen in Ancient Egyptian tomb paintings and traditional portraits of Dhanvantari, the Hindu deity associated with Ayurveda. Zoey Poll, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024 The wingless, reddish-brown parasitic insects feed only on sleeping people and animals, CDC officials say. Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 24 Jan. 2024 The most common side effects of Xolair are injection site reactions and fever, but the FDA noted that the drug has also been associated with joint pain, rash, parasitic infections, malignancies and abnormal laboratory tests. Jonel Aleccia, Quartz, 16 Feb. 2024 Author Chen, however, suggested that unwanted electronic characteristics, particularly a weakness called parasitic inductance, would plague transistors that are simply packaged together rather than integrated. IEEE Spectrum, 16 Jan. 2024 Some common reasons for claim denials include: Treatments for parasitic conditions: Many insurers will deny treatment for parasitic conditions, such as heartworms, even if your pet was on preventive medications. Kat Tretina, wsj.com, 8 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'parasitic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1630, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of parasitic was in 1630

Dictionary Entries Near parasitic

Cite this Entry

“Parasitic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parasitic. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

parasitic

adjective
par·​a·​sit·​ic
ˌpar-ə-ˈsit-ik
: of or relating to parasites or their way of life : being a parasite
parasitically
-i-k(ə-)lē
adverb

Medical Definition

parasitic

1 of 2 adjective
par·​a·​sit·​ic ˌpar-ə-ˈsit-ik How to pronounce parasitic (audio)
variants also parasitical
1
: relating to or having the habit of a parasite : living on another organism
2
: caused by or resulting from the effects of parasites
parasitically adverb

parasitic

2 of 2 noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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