leech
A typically aquatic blood-sucking annelid of the subclass Hirudinea, especially Hirudo…A typically aquatic blood-sucking annelid of the subclass Hirudinea, especially Hirudo medicinalis.
» My legs were covered with leeches.
Ich hatte überall Blutegel an den Beinen.
Meaning
7 sensesA typically aquatic blood-sucking annelid of the subclass Hirudinea, especially Hirudo medicinalis.
Blutegel, Egel
пия́вкаpijávka, пия́вицаpijávica
п'я́вкаpʺjávka
(figuratively)A person who derives advantage from others in a parasitic fashion.
Blutsauger, Blutsaugerin
пия́вкаpijávka, кровосо́сkrovosós, кровопи́йцаkrovopíjca
парази́тparazýt, кровопи́вцяkrovopývcja
(dated)A glass tube designed for drawing blood from damaged tissue by means of a vacuum.
(Germanic)A healer.
Heiler
лі́карlíkar, лі́каркаlíkarka
The vertical edge of a square sail.
ликlik
The aft edge of a triangular sail.
(archaic)A physician.
- carnivorous or bloodsucking aquatic or terrestrial worms typically having a sucker at each end
- a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage
Examples
37 sentencesMy legs were covered with leeches.
deIch hatte überall Blutegel an den Beinen.
Tom is nothing but a leech.
Tom is a leech.
Tom is just a leech.
Leeches are parasites.
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 3
By meaning 3
By meaning 3
Origin
From Middle English leche (“blood-sucking worm”), from Old English lǣċe (“blood-sucking woFrom Middle English leche (“blood-sucking worm”), from Old English lǣċe (“blood-sucking worm”), akin to Middle Dutch lāke ("blood-sucking worm"; > modern Dutch laak).
From Middle English leche (“physician”), from Old English lǣċe (“doctor, physician”), from Proto-West Germanic *lākī, from Proto-Germanic *lēkijaz (“doctor”), of disputed origin, but usually thought to be connected with Proto-Celtic (compare Old Irish líaig (“doctor, physician”)); perhaps ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- (“to collect, gather”).
From Middle English lek, leche, lyche, from Old Norse lík (“leechline”), from Proto-West Germanic *līk, from Proto-Germanic *līką (compare West Frisian lyk (“band”), Dutch lijk (“boltrope”), Middle High German geleich (“joint, limb”)), from Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ- ‘to bind’ (compare Latin ligō (“tie, bind”), Ukrainian нали́гати (nalýhaty, “to bridle, fetter”), Albanian lidh (“to bind”), Hittite link- (caus. linganu-) ‘to swear’ (with -n- infix).
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Forms
plural: leechesSynonyms
10 synonyms- carnivorous or bloodsucking aquatic or terrestrial worms typically having a sucker at each end:bloodsuckerhirudinean
- a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage:parasitespongesponger