parasiet

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch parasiet, from Middle French parasite, from Latin parasitus, from Ancient Greek παράσιτος (parásitos).

Pronunciation

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Noun

parasiet (plural parasiete)

1. parasite

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French parasite, from Latin parasitus, from Ancient Greek παράσιτος (parásitos). First attested in the 16th century. The sense “parasitic organism” is a semantic loan from French parasite.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌpaː.raːˈsit/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: pa‧ra‧siet
• Rhymes: -it

Noun

parasiet m (plural parasieten, diminutive parasietje n)

1. (biology) parasite (parasitic organism) [from 19th c.]

   Luizen, vlooien en andere vampiers zijn bloedergerlijke parasieten.

   Lice, flees and other vampires are bloody annoying parasites.

2. (figuratively, derogatory) parasite, someone who relies on others to get things done. [from 16th c.]

   Synonym: tafelschuimer

Derived terms

• wondparasiet
• zwakteparasiet

Related terms

• parasitair
• parasiteren
• parasitologie

Descendants

• Afrikaans: parasiet
• → Indonesian: parasit
• → Papiamentu: parasit