parasitic
gb/pˌɛɹəsˈɪtɪk/ us/pˌɛɹəsˈɪtɪk/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
C1
property
1
living on another organism
Living on another living thing and using it for food.
Usage pattern:
parasitic [organism]/[insect]/[plant]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse parasitic (living off a host) with poisonous/venomous (harmful because of toxins).
Synonyms
parasitical (Less common variant; often sounds more formal or technical.)
|
host-dependent (More descriptive; used mainly in scientific contexts.)
Antonyms
self-sustaining (Able to survive without relying on a host.)
|
free-living (Not living on or in a host organism.)
Collocations
parasitic worm
|parasitic infection
|parasitic disease
|parasitic wasp
|parasitic plant
|parasitic fungi
|parasitic organism
|parasitic lifestyle
|parasitic species
|parasitic relationship (biological)
Themes
biology
|animals
|plants
|health
Examples
- Ticks are parasitic and feed on the blood of mammals and birds.
- The lab studied a parasitic fungus that attacks wheat plants.
- Some fish have a parasitic stage early in their life cycle.
Learner examples
- A parasitic worm can make people sick.
- This plant is parasitic and grows on trees.
adjective
formal
C1
property
2
taking without giving back
Using others and not giving anything back.
Usage pattern:
parasitic [person]/[group]/[system]/[behavior]
Common mistake:
Often used as a strong criticism; it can sound insulting if used about a person or group.
Synonyms
exploitative (More general; doesn’t necessarily imply dependence.)
|
predatory (Emphasizes aggressive taking advantage, often in business.)
Antonyms
mutual (Both sides benefit rather than one taking.)
|
supportive (Helpful and contributing rather than draining.)
Collocations
parasitic behavior
|parasitic dependence
|parasitic relationship
|parasitic system
|parasitic economy
|parasitic middlemen
|parasitic practices
|parasitic attachment
Themes
society
|relationships
|business
Examples
- He described the industry as parasitic, profiting from communities while giving little back.
- Their friendship started to feel parasitic, with one person always asking for favors.
- Critics argue that the model encourages parasitic behavior rather than cooperation.
Learner examples
- It felt parasitic because he only took money.
- A parasitic relationship is not healthy.
adjective
technical
C2
property
3
unwanted side effect in systems
An unwanted extra effect in a machine or circuit.
Usage pattern:
parasitic [capacitance]/[loss]/[drag]/[load]
Common mistake:
In technical writing, parasitic usually means 'unintended'; it does not mean caused by biological parasites.
Synonyms
spurious (Highlights being false or unintended; common in signals/measurements.)
|
unintended (General term; less technical flavor than parasitic.)
Antonyms
intended (Designed on purpose rather than an unwanted side effect.)
|
deliberate (Emphasizes purposeful inclusion in the design.)
Collocations
parasitic capacitance
|parasitic resistance
|parasitic inductance
|parasitic loss
|parasitic drain
|parasitic load
|parasitic oscillation
|parasitic drag
|parasitic effects
Themes
technology
|engineering
|science
Examples
- The engineer reduced parasitic capacitance by changing the board layout.
- A parasitic loss in the drivetrain lowered the vehicle’s efficiency.
- They traced the noise to parasitic oscillations in the amplifier.
Learner examples
- Parasitic capacitance can affect a circuit.
- The test found parasitic losses.
Grammar
Dictionary form
parasitic
IPA
GB/pˌɛɹəsˈɪtɪk/
US/pˌɛɹəsˈɪtɪk/
Syllables & stress
para - sit - ic (3 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (ic)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: parasitic
Word family
Core family
parasite
noun B2
Advanced or less common
parasitism
noun
parasitically
adverb
parasitize
verb
Expressions
parasitic capacitance
1/pˌɛɹəsˈɪtɪk kəpˈæsɪtəns/
fixed phrase
technical
unwanted capacitance in circuits
Extra capacitance that happens by accident in a circuit.
Examples
- Parasitic capacitance can limit the speed of high-frequency circuits.
- Shorter traces helped reduce parasitic capacitance on the PCB.
- The simulation included parasitic capacitance from the package.
parasitic drain
1/pˌɛɹəsˈɪtɪk dɹˈeɪn/
fixed phrase
technical
unwanted battery power loss
A problem where a battery loses power because something is still using electricity.
Examples
- The mechanic diagnosed a parasitic drain that was killing the car battery overnight.
- A faulty module can cause parasitic drain even when the vehicle is parked.
- They measured the current to find the source of the parasitic drain.
parasitic infection
1/pˌɛɹəsˈɪtɪk ɪnfˈɛkʃən/
fixed phrase
infection caused by parasites
An illness caused by a parasite.
Examples
- The doctor suspected a parasitic infection after the patient returned from travel.
- Parasitic infections can spread through contaminated water.
- They treated the parasitic infection with antiparasitic medication.
parasitic load
1/pˌɛɹəsˈɪtɪk lˈoʊd/
fixed phrase
technical
unintended demand on a system
Extra energy use that does not help.
Examples
- Standby electronics can create a parasitic load that reduces overall efficiency.
- Engine accessories add parasitic load and lower fuel economy.
- The audit identified parasitic loads during non-operating hours.
parasitic plant
1/pˌɛɹəsˈɪtɪk plˈænt/
fixed phrase
plant that feeds from a host
A plant that takes food or water from another plant.
Examples
- Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that grows on trees.
- The parasitic plant weakened the host by stealing water and nutrients.
- They removed parasitic plants to protect the orchard.
parasitic twin
1/pˌɛɹəsˈɪtɪk twˈɪn/
fixed phrase
technical
underdeveloped twin attached to another
A very rare condition where one twin is attached to the other and depends on it.
Examples
- Doctors identified a parasitic twin during imaging before the surgery.
- The child underwent an operation to remove the parasitic twin.
- Cases involving a parasitic twin are extremely rare.
parasitic wasp
1/pˌɛɹəsˈɪtɪk wˈɑsp/
fixed phrase
wasp that lays eggs in hosts
A wasp that uses another insect to raise its young.
Examples
- The farmer released parasitic wasps to control crop pests.
- A parasitic wasp can lay its eggs inside a caterpillar.
- Researchers studied how parasitic wasps locate their hosts.
parasitic worm
1/pˌɛɹəsˈɪtɪk wˈɚm/
fixed phrase
worm living inside a host
A worm that lives in a person or animal and can cause illness.
Examples
- The test confirmed a parasitic worm in the dog’s intestines.
- Some parasitic worms enter the body through contaminated food.
- Regular deworming helps prevent parasitic worms in pets.