1. Carnivorous or bloodsucking aquatic or terrestrial worms typically having a sucker at each end
   "The leech attached itself to the swimmer's leg";
   - bloodsucker, hirudinean
    
2. A follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage
   "His so-called friend was nothing but a leech, always borrowing money and never paying it back";
   - parasite, sponge [informal], sponger, bloodsucker [informal]

1. (medicine) draw blood
   "In the old days, doctors routinely leeched patients as part of the treatment";
   - bleed, phlebotomize, phlebotomise [Brit]

Sounds like: l

Derived forms: leeched, leeches, leeching

Type of: acolyte, annelid, annelid worm, care for, follower, segmented worm, treat

Part of: class Hirudinea, Hirudinea

Encyclopedia: Leech, Mark