parasitic

adjective

par·​a·​sit·​ic ˌper-ə-ˈsi-tik 

ˌpa-rə-

variants or less commonly parasitical

ˌper-ə-ˈsi-ti-kəl 

ˌpa-rə-

1

: of, relating to, or being a parasite: such as

a(1)

: living on another organism in parasitism

Some caterpillars even sport white spots that resemble the eggs of the parasitic wasps that prey upon caterpillars …

—Mary Parker Sonis

a parasitic yeast/plant

Filariasis, caused by parasitic worms in the human lymphatic system and carried in mosquitoes, infects some eighty million people in tropical and subtropical regions of the world.

—Wayne Biddle

(2)

: caused by or resulting from the effects of parasites

a parasitic disease/infection

(3)

of a bird : laying eggs in the nest of another bird

The cowbird and the cuckoo are parasitic birds.

b

: exploiting the hospitality of others : depending on another or others for existence or support without making a useful or adequate return

… manipulated and glorified by self-serving, parasitic northern bureaucrats.

—Edward Friedman

2

phonetics : of, relating to, or constituting a speech sound that is interposed between two other sounds usually as a by-product of transition from one place of articulation to another

The \ə\ in \ˈeləm\ for elm or in \ˈathəˌlēt\ for athlete, the \t\ in \fents\ for fence, and the \b\ and b in \ˈnimbəl\ nimble from Middle English nimel are parasitic.

parasitically

ˌper-ə-ˈsi-ti-kəl 

ˌpa-rə-

adverb

During sexually quiescent phase, lampreys live simply, communally or parasitically upon other fish.

—Earl W. Count

… those who live parasitically on the political system …

—John Derbyshire

Examples of parasitic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As cases of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic intestinal illness, continue to spread across the country, resturauntgoers are reevaluating their dining habits and reassessing what options on a menu may or may not be suitable to consume. — Mason Leib, ABC News, 21 July 2026

The division charged with keeping a handle on parasitic diseases had already been small, with only a few employees designated to parasite work. — Blake Ellis, CNN Money, 20 July 2026

Officials on July 18 had said that a sample of shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms tested positive for the parasitic illness that has sickened thousands of people in the United States. — Reuters, USA Today, 20 July 2026

Encourage Natural Predators Eggs and squash bug nymphs are particularly vulnerable to predatory insects like parasitic wasps, ground beetles, assassin bugs, and ladybugs. — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 20 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1630, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing parasitic

• anti-parasitic

Rhymes for parasitic

• analytic
• anxiolytic
• astrocytic
• austenitic
• catalytic
• cytolytic
• dioritic
• diphtheritic
• dolomitic
• endophytic
• epiphytic
• glauconitic

Kids Definition

parasitic

adjective

par·​a·​sit·​ic

ˌpar-ə-ˈsit-ik

: of or relating to parasites or their way of life : being a parasite

parasitically

-i-k(ə-)lē

adverb

Medical Definition

parasitic

1 of 2 adjective

par·​a·​sit·​ic ˌpar-ə-ˈsit-ik 

variants also parasitical

-i-kəl 

1

: relating to or having the habit of a parasite : living on another organism

2

: caused by or resulting from the effects of parasites

parasitically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

parasitic

2 of 2 noun

: parasiticide