parasitology

noun

par·​a·​si·​tol·​o·​gy ˌper-ə-sə-ˈtä-lə-jē How to pronounce parasitology (audio)
-ˌsī-
ˌpa-rə-
: a branch of biology dealing with parasites and parasitism especially among animals
parasitological
ˌper-ə-ˌsi-tə-ˈlä-ji-kəl How to pronounce parasitology (audio)
-ˌsī-
ˌpa-rə-
adjective
or less commonly parasitologic
ˌper-ə-ˌsi-tə-ˈlä-jik How to pronounce parasitology (audio)
-ˌsī-
ˌpa-rə-
parasitologically adverb
parasitologist
ˌper-ə-sə-ˈtä-lə-jist How to pronounce parasitology (audio)
-ˌsī-
ˌpa-rə-
noun

Examples of parasitology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Acanthamoeba, a single-cell organism that doesn’t need a host to survive and is commonly found in water and soil sources, is one of many pathogens or microbes that can cause keratitis, said Dr. Jacob Lorenzo-Morales, professor of parasitology at the University of La Laguna in Spain, via email. Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026 That’s a problem given the more immediate threats facing parasitology: climate change and habitat loss. Hannah Richter, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 July 2024 That’s where professor Adler R. Dillman, chair of UC Riverside’s Department of Nematology (study of roundworms) and an expert on parasitology, and a team of researchers and students recently unmasked their culprit. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Kaplan, a professor of parasitology and himself a victim of amebic dysentery and 8-inch roundworms, gives a raucous crash course that blends surprising biology with macabre stories. Andrew Moseman, Discover Magazine, 6 May 2023

Word History

Etymology

Latin parasitus + International Scientific Vocabulary -logy

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of parasitology was in 1870

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Parasitology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parasitology. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.

Medical Definition

parasitology

noun
par·​a·​si·​tol·​o·​gy ˌpar-ə-sə-ˈtäl-ə-jē How to pronounce parasitology (audio) -ˌsīt-ˈäl- How to pronounce parasitology (audio)
plural parasitologies
: a branch of biology dealing with parasites and parasitism especially among animals
parasitological adjective
also parasitologic
parasitologically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on parasitology

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