parasite

== English == === Etymology === From Middle French parasite, from Latin parasitus, from Ancient Greek παράσιτος (parásitos, “person who eats at the table of another”), from noun use of adjective meaning "feeding beside", from παρά (pará, “beside”) + σῖτος (sîtos, “food”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈpæɹəˌsaɪt/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈpæɹəˌsaɪt/, /ˈpɛɹəˌsaɪt/ Hyphenation: par‧a‧site Rhymes: -aɪt === Noun === parasite (plural parasites) (biology) An organism that lives on or in another organism of a different species, deriving benefit from living on or in that other organism, while not contributing towards that other organism sufficiently to cover the cost to that other organism. (informal, specifically) An internal parasite that is an animal or protist. (derogatory) A person who lives on other people's efforts or expense and gives little or nothing back. [from 16th c.] Synonyms: see Thesaurus:scrounger (derogatory) A sycophant or hanger-on. (literary, poetic) A climbing plant which is supported by a wall, trellis etc. [from 19th c.] (historical) A retainer or companion of an ancient Celtic warrior, who praised him in song or poetry at gatherings; a bard. (aviation) A component of a composite aircraft which is carried aloft and air-launched by a larger carrier aircraft or mother ship to support the primary mission of the carrier; a parasite aircraft. (retail, used attributively) An isolated (FSDU) (freestanding display unit ) parasite display parasite stand parasite unit ==== Antonyms ==== commensal (doing no noticeable harm) mutualist or sometimes symbiote (beneficial) ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Collocations ==== ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== facultative obligate symbiont === Verb === parasite (third-person singular simple present parasites, present participle parasiting, simple past and past participle parasited) (rare) To parasitize. === References === Douglas Harper (2001–2026), “parasite”, in Online Etymology Dictionary. === Anagrams === aspirate, pastiera, septaria == French == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /pa.ʁa.zit/ Homophones: parasitent, parasites === Etymology 1 === Borrowed from Latin parasītus, itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek παράσιτος (parásitos). ==== Noun ==== parasite m (plural parasites) parasite (electronics, in the plural) radio interference ==== Adjective ==== parasite (plural parasites) parasitic ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Descendants ===== → Romanian: parazit → Turkish: parazit === Etymology 2 === See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form. ==== Verb ==== parasite inflection of parasiter: first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive second-person singular imperative === Further reading === “parasite”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 == Galician == === Verb === parasite inflection of parasitar: first/third-person singular present subjunctive third-person singular imperative == Latin == === Noun === parasīte vocative singular of parasītus == Portuguese == === Verb === parasite inflection of parasitar: first/third-person singular present subjunctive third-person singular imperative == Spanish == === Verb === parasite inflection of parasitar: first/third-person singular present subjunctive third-person singular imperative