Parasite Meaning and Definition
Parasite
Pronunciation
/ˈpærəsaɪt/
Part of Speech
Noun
Definition
An organism that lives in or on another organism (the host), known as parasitism, where the parasite benefits from the host’s resources and may harm it.
Etymology
From Greek parisitos, “distinct, peculiar”, from para- “beside” + sitos “food”.
Usage Notes
Parasites can be found in nature, such as ticks, fleas, and lice, or man-made, like parasites in computer systems.
Cultural References
- The Parasite (1999), a South Korean thriller film directed by Bong Joon-ho.
- Parasite (2019), a South Korean black comedy thriller film directed by Bong Joon-ho, winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
- Parasite living off someone else’s work.
- Parasite that feeds on the host’s resources without giving anything in return.
Related Words or Phrases
- Host
- Predator
- Symbiosis
Collocations
- Parasite infestation
- Computer parasite
Frequency of Use
The word “parasite” is commonly used in scientific, medical, and everyday contexts, with a moderate frequency.
Common Misspellings
- Parazite
- Parasset