hemiparasitic
adjective
hemi·par·a·sit·ic
ˌhe-mē-ˌper-ə-ˈsi-tik 
-ˌpa-rə-
botany
: of, relating to, or being a plant (such as mistletoe) that possesses chlorophyll and typically carries out photosynthesis but is partially parasitic on the roots or shoots of a plant host : semiparasitic
hemiparasitic species
compare holoparasitic
hemiparasite
ˌhe-mē-ˈper-ə-ˌsīt
noun
-ˈpa-rə-
plural hemiparasites
Botanists categorize mistletoes as hemiparasites—plants that can make food through photosynthesis after siphoning water and mineral nutrients from a host plant …
—
Laura A. Sessions
Laura A. Sessions
Examples of hemiparasitic in a Sentence
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Instead, experts consider mistletoe as hemiparasitic.
—Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 23 Dec. 2023
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Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 23 Dec. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Hemiparasitic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hemiparasitic. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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