parasitism

par·a·sit·ism
P3A1R1A1S1I1T1I1S1M3
/ˈpæɹəs(a)ɪˌtɪzm̩/

noun

Interaction between two organisms, in which one organism (the parasite) benefits and the other (the host) is harmed.

“These devices' energy consumption is parasitism upon the electrical grid.”

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Meanings

nounparasitism (usually uncountable, plural parasitisms)

plural parasitisms

  1. uncountableusuallybiologyInteraction between two organisms, in which one organism (the parasite) benefits and the other (the host) is harmed.
  2. figurativelyuncountableusuallyA similar interaction between people or things.

    These devices' energy consumption is parasitism upon the electrical grid.

    2 more examples

    We accused her of parasitism in taking his hard-earned money for new dresses.

    Either theſe men imagine themſelves to be marvelouſly high ſet and exalted in the chair of Belfaſt, to vouchſafe the parliament of England no better ſtile than Servants, or elſe their high notion, which we rather believe, falls as low as court paraſitiſm ; ſuppoſing all men to be ſervants, but the king.

    a. 1674, “Observations upon the Articles of Peace with the Iriſh Rebels”, in The Works of John Milton, Hiſtorical, Political, and Miſcellaneous, volume 1, London: A. Millar, published 1753, page 399

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
leechiness

Origin

From parasite + -ism. Cognate with French parasitisme and Portuguese and Spanish parasitismo.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan parasitisme
  • parasitismeinteraction between two organisms
Chinese Mandarin 寄生
  • 寄生 (jìshēng)interaction between two organisms
Czech cizopasnictví, parazitismus
  • cizopasnictvíinteraction between two organisms
  • parazitismusinteraction between two organisms
Esperanto parazitismo
  • parazitismointeraction between two organisms
French parasitisme
  • parasitismeinteraction between two organisms
German Parasitismus, Schmarotzertum
  • Parasitismusinteraction between two organisms
  • Schmarotzertuminteraction between two organisms
  • Parasitentuminteraction between two organisms
Greek παρασιτισμός
  • παρασιτισμός (parasitismós)interaction between two organisms
Hindi परजीविता
  • परजीविता (parjīvitā)interaction between two organisms
Indonesian parasitisme
  • parasitismeinteraction between two organisms
Italian parassitismo
  • parassitismointeraction between two organisms
Polish pasożytnictwo
  • pasożytnictwointeraction between two organisms
Portuguese parasitismo
  • parasitismointeraction between two organisms
Romanian parazitism
  • parazitisminteraction between two organisms
Spanish parasitismo
  • parasitismointeraction between two organisms
Vietnamese sự ký sinh, ký sinh trùng
  • sự ký sinhinteraction between two organisms
  • ký sinh trùnginteraction between two organisms
Cite this entry
APA

parasitism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/parasitism

MLA

“parasitism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/parasitism. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “parasitism,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/parasitism.

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