bloodsucker

C2 Topic:Animals

US /ˈblʌdˌsʌkɚ/ UK /ˈblʌdˌsʌkə/ See IPA manual

Freq #36488

Meanings

1

noun
an animal, especially a leech or biting insect, that feeds by sucking blood

The leech is a bloodsucker that attaches itself firmly to its host.
2

noun
figurative and disapproving: a person who persistently exploits or takes from others

The landlord was denounced as a bloodsucker who profited from desperate tenants.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · an animal, especially a... leechhematophageblood-feeder

2 noun · figurative and... parasite leech exploiter

Opposites

benefactor

Word family

Derived forms bloodsuckingbloodsuckery

Related forms parasite vampirehematophagyhost

Etymology

A compound of blood + sucker. It first describes an animal that draws blood by suction or piercing. The figurative use compares an exploitative person to a parasite draining a host, an image that also made bloodsucker a conventional name for a vampire.

Topics

Animals Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# bloodsucker

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈblʌdˌsʌkɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈblʌdˌsʌkə/
**Frequency rank:** 36488

## Meanings
1. an animal, especially a leech or biting insect, that feeds by sucking blood
2. figurative and disapproving: a person who persistently exploits or takes from others

## Examples
- The leech is a bloodsucker that attaches itself firmly to its host.
- The landlord was denounced as a bloodsucker who profited from desperate tenants.

## Synonyms
- leech
- hematophage
- blood-feeder
- parasite
- exploiter

## Antonyms
- benefactor

## Derived Forms
- bloodsucking
- bloodsuckery

## Related Forms
- parasite
- vampire
- hematophagy
- host

## Etymology
A compound of blood + sucker. It first describes an animal that draws blood by suction or piercing. The figurative use compares an exploitative person to a parasite draining a host, an image that also made bloodsucker a conventional name for a vampire.

## Topics
- Animals
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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