vampire

noun

vam·​pire ˈvam-ˌpī(-ə)r 

1

: the reanimated body of a dead person believed to come from the grave at night and suck the blood of persons asleep

2

a

: one who lives by preying on others

b

: a woman who exploits and ruins her lover

3

: vampire bat

vampiric

vam-ˈpir-ik 

adjective

vampirish

ˈvam-ˌpī(-ə)r-ish 

adjective

Synonyms of vampire

• predator
• shark

Examples of vampire in a Sentence

regarded debt collectors as vampires who made a living from the misery of others

Recent Examples on the Web

Nihon University German film professor Shibuya Tetsuya, who gave an introductory lecture on German cinema, noted that the film even features a vegetarian vampire. — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 2 Nov. 2026

Sharpless says, in the West, sleep paralysis overlapped with stories about vampires, witches, and ghosts. — Rj MacKenzie, Popular Science, 29 Oct. 2026

Early on, her costumes evolved from classic (a dominatrix the first year, a vampire in 2005) to more complex (a skinless person in 2011) to complete cosplay. — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 28 Oct. 2026

The actor, who gravitates toward outré romantic roles—see last year’s BDSM romcom Pillion or his tenure as a Nordic vampire on HBO’s True Blood—is beloved online, so a big reaction was to be expected. — Janelle Okwodu, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, borrowed from German Vampir, borrowed from Serbian vampir

First Known Use

1732, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing vampire

• vampire bat

Kids Definition

vampire

noun

vam·​pire ˈvam-ˌpī(ə)r 

1

: the body of a dead person believed to come from the grave at night and suck the blood of sleeping persons

2

: vampire bat

Medical Definition

vampire

noun

vam·​pire ˈvam-ˌpī(ə)r 

: vampire bat