parasitism
noun/ˈpæɹəs(a)ɪˌtɪzm̩/
Etymology From parasite + -ism. Cognate with French parasitisme and Portuguese and Spanish parasitismo.
2
Figuratively, Usually A similar interaction between people or things.
- We accused her of parasitism in taking his hard-earned money for new dresses.
- These devices' energy consumption is parasitism upon the electrical grid.
1 more example
- Either theſe men imagine themſelves to be marvelouſly high ſet and exalted in the chair of Belfaſt, to vouchſafe the parliament of England no better ſtile than Servants, or elſe their high notion, which we rather believe, falls as low as court paraſitiſm ; ſuppoſing all men to be ſervants, but the king.a. 1674, “Observations upon the Articles of Peace with the Iriſh Rebels”, in The Works of John Milton, Hiſtorical, Political, and Miſcellaneous, volume 1, London: A. Millar, published 1753, page 399:
- Derived terms
- adelphoparasitism, alloparasitism, autoparasitism, brood parasitism, ectoparasitism, endoparasitism, epiparasitism, holoparasitism, hyperparasitism, kleptoparasitism, monoparasitism, multiparasitism, mycoparasitism, nonparasitism, polyparasitism, pseudoparasitism, self-parasitism, superparasitism, xenoparasitism