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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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Derived Forms

  • semiparasitism, noun
  • semiparasite, noun
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Other Words From

  • sem·i·par·a·site [sem-ee-, par, -, uh, -sahyt, sem-ahy-], noun
  • sem·i·par·a·sit·ism [sem-ee-, par, -, uh, -sahy-tiz-, uh, m, sem-ahy-], 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

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

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semipalmated sandpipersemipermanent

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