ScienceAugust 27, 2026

parasitize

PAIR-uh-sy-tyz

Definition

To live on or inside another organism while obtaining nutrients at the host's expense.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek word 'parasitos', meaning 'eating at another's table,' the term entered English in the 17th century to describe organisms that live on or in others.

In the news

The article uses this word to describe how dodder plants latch onto other species to steal essential nutrients, highlighting the biological dependency inherent in their survival strategy.

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

Read the full article ↗

Asia Research News |

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