parasitism
Interaction between two organisms, in which one organism benefits and the other is harmedInteraction between two organisms, in which one organism (the parasite) benefits and the other (the host) is harmed.
» There is no virtue in parasitism.
Meaning
2 senses(uncountable, usually)Interaction between two organisms, in which one organism (the parasite) benefits and the other (the host) is harmed.
Parasitismus, Schmarotzertum, Parasitentum
the relation between two different kinds of organisms in which one receives benefits from the other by causing damage to it (usually not fatal damage)
(figuratively, uncountable, usually)A similar interaction between people or things.
We accused her of parasitism in taking his hard-earned money for new dresses.
These devices' energy consumption is parasitism upon the electrical grid.
Examples
3 sentencesThere is no virtue in parasitism.
The age of parasitism is done. The Goddess will crush each tick's head.
In all of human society, three factors come into play at every level: competitiveness, cooperation, and parasitism.
Translations
6 languagesBy meaning 1
Origin
From parasite + -ism. Cognate with French parasitisme and Portuguese and Spanish parasitisFrom parasite + -ism. Cognate with French parasitisme and Portuguese and Spanish parasitismo.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: parasitisms| Singular | parasitism |
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uncountable
Word family
19 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable