n. (Zoöl.) Any parasite which lives on the exterior of animals; -- opposed to endoparasite. -- Ec`to*par`a*sit"ic a. [1913 Webster]

n. [ Endo- + parasite. ] (Zoöl.) Any parasite which lives in the internal organs of an animal, as the tapeworms, Trichina, etc.; -- opposed to ectoparasite. See Entozoön. -- En`do*par`a*sit"ic a. [1913 Webster]

. Any of several minute protozoans of the genus Plasmodium (syn. Haematozoon) which in their adult condition live in the tissues of mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles (which see) and when transferred to the blood of man, by the bite of the mosquito, produce malaria. The young parasites, or sporozoites, enter the red blood corpuscles, growing at their expense, undergoing sporulation, and finally destroying the corpuscles, thus liberating in the blood plasma an immense number of small spores called merozoites. An indefinite but not ultimated number of such generations may follow, but if meanwhile the host is bitten by a mosquito, the parasites develop into gametes in the stomach of the insect. These conjugate, the zygote thus produced divides, forming spores, and eventually sporozoites, which, penetrating to the salivary glands of the mosquito, may be introduced into a new host. The attacks of the disease coincide with the dissolution of the corpuscles and liberation of the spores and products of growth of the parasites into the blood plasma. Several species of the parasite are distinguished, as Plasmodium vivax, producing tertian malaria; Plasmodium malariae, quartan malaria; and Plasmodium (subgenus Laverania) falciferum, the malarial fever of summer and autumn common in the tropics. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. A parasitic microorganism. -- Mi`cro*par`a*sit"ic a. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

(Biology) adj. Not parasitic.
Syn. -- free-living, nonsymbiotic. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. parasanga, Gr. &unr_;, from Old Persian; cf. Per. farsang. ] A Persian measure of length, which, according to Herodotus and Xenophon, was thirty stadia, or somewhat more than three and a half miles. The measure varied in different times and places, and, as now used, is estimated at from three and a half to four English miles. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Parascenia [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_;; para` beside + &unr_; stage. ] (Greek & Rom. Antiq.) One of two apartments adjoining the stage, probably used as robing rooms. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., from Gr. &unr_;, lit., preparation. ] 1. Among the Jews, the evening before the Sabbath. [ Obs. ] Mark xv. 42 (Douay ver.) [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A preparation. [ R. ] Donne. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_; to change from the true form. ] Of or pertaining to a change from the right form, as in the formation of a word from another by a change of termination, gender, etc. Max Müller. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Paraselenæ [ NL., from Gr. para` beside + selh`nh the moon: cf. F. parasélène. ] (Meteor.) A mock moon; an image of the moon which sometimes appears at the point of intersection of two lunar halos. Cf. Parhelion. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. -shoth r -shioth /plu>. [ Heb. pārāshāh. ] A lesson from the Torah, or Law, from which at least one section is read in the Jewish synagogue on every Sabbath and festival. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

‖ n.; pl. of Parashah. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. ] (Zool.) (a) An artificial group formerly made for parasitic insects, as lice, ticks, mites, etc. (b) A division of copepod Crustacea, having a sucking mouth, as the lerneans. They are mostly parasites on fishes. Called also Siphonostomata. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Bot. & Zool.) Of or pertaining to parasites; parasitic. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., fr. L. parasitus, Gr. para`sitos, lit., eating beside, or at the table of, another; para` beside + sitei^n to feed, from sitos wheat, grain, food. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. One who frequents the tables of the rich, or who lives at another's expense, and earns his welcome by flattery; a hanger-on; a toady; a sycophant. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou, with trembling fear,
Or like a fawning parasite, obey'st. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Parasites were called such smell-feasts as would seek to be free guests at rich men's tables. Udall. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) (a) A plant obtaining nourishment immediately from other plants to which it attaches itself, and whose juices it absorbs; -- sometimes, but erroneously, called epiphyte. (b) A plant living on or within an animal, and supported at its expense, as many species of fungi of the genus Torrubia. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) (a) An animal which lives during the whole or part of its existence on or in the body of some other animal, feeding upon its food, blood, or tissues, as lice, tapeworms, etc. (b) An animal which steals the food of another, as the parasitic jager. (c) An animal which habitually uses the nest of another, as the cowbird and the European cuckoo. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ L. parasiticus, Gr. &unr_;: cf. F. parasitique. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Of the nature of a parasite; having the habits of a parasite; fawning for food or favors; sycophantic. “Parasitic preachers.” Milton.
Syn. -- leechlike, bloodsucking. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot. & Zool.) Of or pertaining to parasites; living on, or deriving nourishment from, some other living animal or plant. See Parasite, 2 & 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

Parasitic gull,
Parasitic jager. (Zool.) See Jager. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Par`a*sit"ic*al*ly, adv. -- Par`a*sit"ic*al*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. Capable of destroying parasites, especially capable of expelling or destroying parasitic worms.
Syn. -- anthelmintic, anthelminthic, helminthic. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n. [ Parasite + L. caedere to kill. ] Anything used to destroy parasites. Quain. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. parasitisme. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The state or behavior of a parasite; the act of a parasite. “Court parasitism.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot. & Zool.) The state of being parasitic. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To shade as with a parasol. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., fr. Sp. or Pg. parasol, or It. parasole; It. parare to ward off, Sp. & Pg. parar (L. parare to prepare) + It. sole sun, Sp. & Pg. sol (L. sol). See Parry, Solar. ] A kind of small umbrella used by women as a protection from the sun. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A small parasol. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. para- + sphenoid. ] (Anat.) Near the sphenoid bone; -- applied especially to a bone situated immediately beneath the sphenoid in the base of the skull in many animals. -- n. The parasphenoid bone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. para- + Gr. sti`chos a row. ] (Bot.) A secondary spiral in phyllotaxy, as one of the evident spirals in a pine cone. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., fr. Gr. &unr_;, from &unr_; to assemble illegally or secretly. ] (Civil Law) An unlawful meeting. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_;. See Para-, and Synthetic. ] Formed from a compound word. “Parasynthetic derivatives.” Dr. Murray. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Supparasite. ] The act of flattering to gain favor; servile approbation. [ Obs. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. supparasitari; sub under, a little + parasitus a parasite. ] To flatter; to cajole; to act the parasite. [ Obs. ] Dr. R. Clerke. [ 1913 Webster ]