parasitize

verb

par·​a·​sit·​ize ˈper-ə-sə-ˌtiz 

-ˌsī-,

ˈpa-rə-

parasitized; parasitizing

transitive verb

: to infest or live on or with as a parasite

parasitization

ˌper-ə-sə-tə-ˈzā-shən 

-ˌsī-

ˌpa-rə-

noun

Examples of parasitize in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Named for the birds that lay their eggs in other birds’ nests, cuckoo bees also parasitize the nests of other bees. —Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 July 2024

In the early 1980s, half the vireo nests there were parasitized. —Carl Zimmer, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019

According to Alexander Cruz, a biologist at the University of Colorado in Boulder, it hasn’t yet been caught parasitizing nests, but that’s just a matter of time. —Carl Zimmer, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019

Hundreds of thousands of wasp species parasitize other insects. —Nala Rogers, Popular Mechanics, 9 Aug. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

parasitize

verb

par·​a·​sit·​ize ˈpar-ə-sə-ˌtīz 

-ˌsīt-ˌīz

parasitized; parasitizing

: to infest or live on or with as a parasite

an insect that parasitizes many mammals

Medical Definition

parasitize

transitive verb

par·​a·​sit·​ize

variants also British parasitise

-sə-ˌtīz  -ˌsīt-ˌīz 

parasitized also British parasitised; parasitizing also British parasitising

: to infest or live on or with as a parasite

parasitization noun

also British parasitisation

ˌpar-ə-sət-ə-ˈzā-shən, -ˌsīt-