vampire

plural vampires · alternative vampyre · alternative wampyr

1. A mythological creature (usually humanoid and undead) said to feed on the blood or life energy of the living.First known use 1732

   Bram Stoker's novel Dracula built on centuries-old stories of vampires and also encouraged new growth of the mythology.

   4 more examples

   [I]n the Village of Medreyga in Hungary, certain dead Bodies (call'd there Vampyres) had kill'd several Persons by sucking out all their Blood: That Arnold Paul, an Heyduke, having kill'd four Persons after he was dead, his Body was taken up 40 Days after, which bled at the Nose, Mouth and Ears: That, according to Custom, they drove a Stake thro' his Heart, at which he gave horrid Groan, and lost a great deal of Blood. And that all such as have been tormented or kill'd by Vampyres, become Vampyres when they are dead.

   1732 May 20, The London Journal, page 76, column 1

   The universal belief is, that a person sucked by a vampyre becomes a vampyre himself, and sucks in his turn.

   1819, John William Polidori, The Vampyre, London: Sherwood, Neely, and Jones, page xxi

   From my laboratory in the Castle east To the master bedroom, where the vampires feast The ghouls all came from their humble abodes To get a jolt from my electrodes They did the Mash They did the Monster Mash.

   1962, “Monster Mash”, Bobby "Boris" Pickett and Lenny Capizzi (lyrics), performed by Bobby (Boris) Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers

   I'm a vampire, baby, sucking blood from the earth / Well, I'm a vampire, baby, sell you twenty barrels worth

   1974, Neil Young, “Vampire Blues”, in On the Beach

   Synonyms: nosferatu, lamia

2. colloquialhumoroususuallyA person with habits traditionally ascribed to (literal) vampires, such as heliophobia, being a night owl, having pale skin, and so on.

   Near-synonyms: heliophobe, goth

   1 more example

   Somehow I doubt that Kelly will want to go surfing with us — she's such a vampire that she might recoil from the sun, lol!

   Synonyms: heliophobe, goth

3. colloquialoffensiveA person with the medical condition porphyria cutanea tarda, colloquially known as vampirism, with effects such as photosensitivity and brownish-red stained teeth.
4. A blood-sucking bat; vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus)First known use later 18th c.

   Synonyms: vampire bat

5. derogatoryfigurativelyA person who drains one's time, energy, money, etc.

   emotional vampire

   1 more example

   You have to be careful what you tell her, because she's such a vampire for drama.

   Synonyms: hemovore, hematophagous

6. datedA vamp: a seductive woman who exploits men.

   "What followed this decision was exactly what we had expected: Mr. Fox, realizing that the public was tiring of Theda Bara in vampire roles, announced that he would star her in a production of Romeo and Juliet," she illustrated.

   2004, David W. Menefee, The First Female Stars: Women of the Silent Era, page 4

7. USslangA medical technician who works with patients' blood; especially, a phlebotomist.

   Only one technician in the hospital lab, in all we have encountered, uses it. […] Eric makes no complaints other than those directed at the vampires. Brenda and I do.

   1992, Terry Pringle, This is the Child

   1 more example

   "I draw blood from patients, and then I take it back to the lab and analyze it. Sometimes, the vampires do all the sticks, that is to say the lab assistants do all the blood collections." He grinned. "We have our own language at the lab."

   2000, Tracie Peterson, Colorado Wings, page 373

8. USslanggovernmentSynonym of anti-ship missile (ASM), particularly an incoming hostile one.

   Vampire. Vampire. Vampire. Battle stations.

   Synonyms: anti-ship missile

present singular third person vampires · participle present vampiring · participle past vampired · past vampired · alternative vampyre · alternative wampyr

1. figurativelytransitiveTo drain of energy or resources.