parasitical

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   relating to, caused by, or living as a parasite; parasitic

   The botanist identified a parasitical vine drawing nutrients from its host tree.

2. 2
   adj

   figuratively, exploiting other people or depending on them without giving anything in return

   Critics condemned the scheme as a parasitical drain on public funds.

Formed from parasitic + -al, ultimately from Greek parasitos, literally 'one who eats beside another,' from para- ('beside') + sitos ('food'). Greek and Latin used the source word for a dependent dinner guest; biology adopted parasite for an organism living at a host's expense, which reinforced the figurative sense.

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