PARASITE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does parasite mean? 

• PARASITE (noun)
  The noun PARASITE has 2 senses:

1. an animal or plant that lives in or on a host (another animal or plant); it obtains nourishment from the host without benefiting or killing the host

2. a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage

  Familiarity information: PARASITE used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PARASITE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An animal or plant that lives in or on a host (another animal or plant); it obtains nourishment from the host without benefiting or killing the host

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("parasite" is a kind of...):

being; organism (a living thing that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function independently)

Domain category:

flora; plant; plant life ((botany) a living organism lacking the power of locomotion)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "parasite"):

endoparasite; endozoan; entoparasite; entozoan; entozoon (any of various parasites that live in the internal organs of animals (especially intestinal worms))

ectoparasite; ectozoan; ectozoon; epizoan; epizoon (any external parasitic organism (as fleas))

parasitic plant (plant living on another plant and obtaining organic nutriment from it)

Antonym:

host (an animal or plant that nourishes and supports a parasite; it does not benefit and is often harmed by the association)

Derivation:

parasitic; parasitical (relating to or caused by parasites)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

leech; parasite; sponge; sponger

Hypernyms ("parasite" is a kind of...):

follower (a person who accepts the leadership of another)

Derivation:

parasitic; parasitical (of plants or persons; having the nature or habits of a parasite or leech; living off another)

 Context examples 

This allele has purported roles in host protection from inflammatory responses, and susceptibility to virus and parasite invasion.

(CCR1 wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

This gene may have roles in host protection from inflammatory response, and susceptibility to virus and parasite.

(Chemokine (C-C Motif) Receptor 1, NCI Thesaurus)

Because triclosan inhibits both ENR and DHFR, the researchers say it may be possible to target the parasite at both the liver stage and the later blood stage.

(Toothpaste ingredient may help fight drug-resistant malaria, University of Cambridge)

Establishment of infection depends on various parasite molecules such as cruzipain, oligopeptidase B, and trans-sialidase that activate Ca2+ signaling.

(Chagas Disease Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/KEGG)

A drug used to treat infections caused by bacteria and parasites.

(Antiparasitic, NCI Dictionary)

During lab tests, the device was able to detect the presence of the HRP2 even when the parasite had produced it in low quantities.

(Biosensor promises early malaria diagnosis, SciDev.Net)

We showed that if you inhibit the enzyme’s activity then you can kill the parasites as they are growing in red blood cells.

(New way to stop falciparum malaria transmission, SciDev.Net)

Having to do with or being a parasite (an animal or plant that gets nutrients by living on or in an organism of another species).

(Parasitic, NCI Dictionary)

Parasites are living things that use other living things - like your body - for food and a place to live.

(Parasitic Diseases, NIH)

Bacteria, viruses, parasites and swallowed objects can all lead to abscesses.

(Abscess, NIH)