parasitic
adjective/ˌpærəˈsɪtɪk/
/ˌpærəˈsɪtɪk/
(also less frequent parasitical
/ˌpærəˈsɪtɪkl/
/ˌpærəˈsɪtɪkl/
)- caused by a parasite
- a parasitic disease/infection
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- living on another animal or plant and getting its food from it
- a parasitic mite
- (disapproving) (of a person) always relying on or benefiting from other people and giving nothing back
- She lives a parasitic existence, constantly borrowing money from her friends.
Word Originearly 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek parasitikos, from parasitos ‘(person) eating at another's table’.
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parasitic