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semiparasitic

[sem-ee-par-uh-sit-ik, sem-ahy-]

adjective

  1. Biology.commonly parasitic but also capable of living on dead or decaying animal matter.

  2. Botany.partly parasitic and partly photosynthetic.

semiparasitic

/ ˌsɛmɪˈpærəsɪˌtɪzəm, ˌsɛmɪˌpærəˈsɪtɪk, ˌsɛmɪˈpærəsaɪt /

adjective

  1. (of plants, such as mistletoe) obtaining some food from a host but undergoing photosynthesis at the same time

  2. (of bacteria or fungi) usually parasitic but capable of living as a saprotroph

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • semiparasite noun
  • semiparasitism noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of semiparasitic1

First recorded in 1875–80; semi- + parasitic
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The Cyclostomes are remarkable among vertebrates in that they are semiparasitic in habit.

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semipalmated sandpipersemipermanent

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