Parasite

Definition

An organism that lives on or inside another organism (the host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the host's expense.

Etymology

From the Greek 'parasitos', meaning 'one who eats at the table of another', from 'para-' meaning 'beside' and 'sitos' meaning 'food' or 'grain'.

Example

The parasitic wasp lays its eggs inside a host, such as a caterpillar, with the larvae feeding on the host as they develop.

Synonyms

• Freeloader

Related Terms

• Host
• Parasitism
• Symbiosis
• Parasitoid

Usage Notes

Parasites can significantly affect the health, behavior, and survival of their hosts and can be found across a wide range of species in entomology and arachnology.