ScienceAugust 27, 2026

parasitism

PAIR-uh-sih-tiz-uhm

Definition

The practice of one organism living on or inside another and obtaining nutrients at the host's expense.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek word 'parasitos', meaning 'one who eats at another's table,' which combines 'para' (beside) and 'sitos' (grain or food).

In the news

The article discusses how parasitic plants obtain genes from their hosts, highlighting parasitism as the mechanism that enables this genetic transfer.

Parasitic plants act like genetic engineers by stealing and remodeling useful genes

Read the full article ↗

Asia Research News |

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