Parasitic

Pronunciation: /pærəˈsɪtɪk/

Definitions of parasitic

adjective describing something that relates to or characteristic of a parasite; exploiting another organism for one's own benefit

Example Sentences

A1 Some parasites live off of other organisms for survival.

A2 The parasitic relationship between the tick and the dog can be harmful.

B1 Parasitic infections can be treated with medication.

B2 Certain fungi have parasitic tendencies, feeding off of plant roots.

C1 The parasitic behavior of the cuckoo bird involves laying eggs in other bird's nests.

C2 The study of parasitic diseases is crucial for understanding global health issues.

Examples of parasitic in a Sentence

formal The parasitic organism was found to be draining nutrients from the host.

informal That parasitic bug is really annoying me.

slang I can't stand those parasitic leeches.

figurative Her parasitic behavior in the workplace was causing tension among colleagues.

Grammatical Forms of parasitic

• past tense: parasitized
• plural: parasitics
• comparative: more parasitic
• superlative: most parasitic
• present tense: parasitizes
• future tense: will parasitize
• perfect tense: has parasitized
• continuous tense: is parasitizing
• singular: parasitic
• positive degree: parasitic
• infinitive: to parasitize
• gerund: parasitizing
• participle: parasitized

Origin and Evolution of parasitic

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: Greek

Story behind the word: The word 'parasitic' originated from the Greek word 'parasitos', which means 'one who eats at another's table'

Evolution of the word: Originally used in a literal sense to describe an organism that lives on or in another organism and benefits at the host's expense. Over time, the term has evolved to also describe behavior or actions that resemble the characteristics of a parasite, such as taking advantage of others for personal gain.