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parasite

Primary Information
Secondary Information

Definition

A parasite is an organism that lives in or on another organism and gets its food from the host organism. Parasites can be animals, plants, or even bacteria.

Some common parasites include ticks, fleas, and tapeworms. Parasites can cause a variety of problems for their hosts, including disease, weight loss, and even death.

How can the word be used?

The organism that a parasite lives on or in.

parasite

Different forms of the word

Noun:

  • parasite (an organism that lives in or on another organism and benefits at the other organism's expense).
  • parasitism (the relationship between a parasite and its host organism).

Adjective:

  • parasitic (of or relating to parasites or parasitism).

Etymology

The word "parasite" is derived from the Greek word "parasitos", which means "one who eats at another's table". The first recorded use of the word "parasite" in English was in the 14th century.

Question

What is a parasite?