parasitenoun/ˈpæɹəˌsaɪt/

• 1

  biologynatural-sciencesAn 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.

  • Lice, fleas, ticks, and mites are widely spread parasites.
  • ...and the mistletoe crept round many of the oaks—that pleasant parasite, whose associations belong rather to the hearth and lighted hall than to its native branches.
• 2

  informalbiologynatural-sciencesAn 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.

  • He lacks, however, even the basic Dr. Kildare lingo about medical issues. For instance, he regularly misidentifies poppers as amyl nitrate, instead of amyl nitrite — two forms of heart medicine with different affects ^([sic]). Salmonella, a bacteria, is not usually classified as a parasite. And he mistakenly writes, "lenti means slow" in the lentiviruses. ("Lenti" means lens-shaped, biologists classify by structure, not by behavior.)
  • Select a disease class Virus: Fastest evolution, Most affected by environment, Bonus to infectivity Bacteria: Medium evolution, Normally affected by environment, Bonus to drug resistance Parasite: Slowest evolution, Least affected by environment, Low visibility
• 3

  derogatoryA person who lives on other people's efforts or expense and gives little or nothing back.

  • Of all the corrupting effects of wealth there is none worse than this, that it makes the wealthy (and their parasites) think in some way divine, or at least a lovely character of the mind, what is in truth nothing but their power of luxurious living.
  • A royalist who publicly called for a military intervention to protect the parasite monarchy.
• 4

  derogatoryA sycophant or hanger-on.

• 5

  literaryA climbing plant which is supported by a wall, trellis etc.

  • Her golden tresses shade / The bosom's stainless pride, / Curling like tendrils of the parasite / Around a marble column.
• 6

  historicalA retainer or companion of an ancient Celtic warrior, who praised him in song or poetry at gatherings; a bard.

• 7

  aeronauticsaerospaceaviationA 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.

  • […] parasiting and aerial refueling as range-extension measures. Second, parasiting would be exorbitantly expensive, because each parasite bomber would need its own carrier. Two bombers could be serviced by a single tanker, however,[…]
• 8

  businesscommerceretailAn isolated (FSDU) (freestanding display unit )

  • parasite display
  • parasite stand

parasiteverb/ˈpæɹəˌsaɪt/

• 1

  rareTo parasitize.

  • ... parasiting upon her husband, taking everything and giving nothing in return, this woman had brought her husband to a condition of serious ill health because of his grief, anxiety, and despair over her failure.
  • ... parasiting Google, but as is the case with Microsoft's street art advertisements, the relationship is not a stable one. Using a Google map platform to track his work means sharing his location data with the corporation.