Main Entry:

¹leech

Pronunciation:

\ˈlēch\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English leche, from Old English lǣce; akin to Old High German lāhhi physician

Date:

before 12th century

1archaic : physician, surgeon2 [from its former use by physicians for bleeding patients] : any of numerous carnivorous or bloodsucking usually freshwater annelid worms (class Hirudinea) that have typically a flattened lanceolate segmented body with a sucker at each end3: a hanger-on who seeks advantage or gain

synonyms see parasite

— leech·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective