parasitize

verb

Meaning

Live in or on another organism while obtaining nourishment at the host's expense.

Examples

Certain species of wasps parasitize caterpillars by laying eggs inside them.
The fungus began to parasitize the healthy trees in the orchard, causing them to wither.

Synonyms: feed on, infest, exploit, prey upon

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parasitize

verb

Pronunciation: /ˈpærəsaɪtaɪz/

Definition

Live in or on another organism while obtaining nourishment at the host's expense.

Examples

Certain species of wasps parasitize caterpillars by laying eggs inside them.
The fungus began to parasitize the healthy trees in the orchard, causing them to wither.
Some plants have evolved to parasitize others, stealing nutrients through their root systems.

How to Use parasitize

parasitize something (collocation): Directly affecting a host organism or entity. — "The virus is known to parasitize human cells."
be parasitized by (collocation): Passive construction describing the victim. — "Many wild animals are parasitized by ticks during the summer."

Synonyms of parasitize

Words with a similar meaning to parasitize:

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