brood parasitism

noun

The practice of some species of animal (the parasites) of relying on another species (the host species) to rear the parasites' young, as practised by certain birds (for example, most species of cuckoo), insects (for example, cuckoo bumblebees) and some other animals.

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Meanings

nounbrood parasitism (uncountable)
  1. uncountableparticularly ornithologybiologyThe practice of some species of animal (the parasites) of relying on another species (the host species) to rear the parasites' young, as practised by certain birds (for example, most species of cuckoo), insects (for example, cuckoo bumblebees) and some other animals.

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 巢寄生
  • 巢寄生parasitical reliance on host for rearing one's young
Dutch broedparasitisme, nestparasitisme
  • broedparasitismeparasitical reliance on host for rearing one's young
  • nestparasitismeparasitical reliance on host for rearing one's young
Japanese 托卵
  • 托卵 (takuran)parasitical reliance on host for rearing one's young
Vietnamese kí sinh nuôi dưỡng
  • kí sinh nuôi dưỡngparasitical reliance on host for rearing one's young
Cite this entry
APA

brood parasitism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/brood%20parasitism

MLA

“brood parasitism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/brood%20parasitism. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “brood parasitism,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/brood%20parasitism.

Source: brood parasitism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.