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Adjective: parasitic  ,per-u'si-tik [N. Amer], ,pa-ru'si-tik [Brit]
  1. Of plants or persons; having the nature or habits of a parasite or leech; living off another
    "a wealthy class parasitic upon the labour of the masses"; "parasitic vines that strangle the trees";
    - parasitical, leechlike, bloodsucking
     
  2. Relating to or caused by parasites
    "parasitic infection";
    - parasitical
     
  3. Of or pertaining to epenthesis
    "The parasitic vowel sound was added to make the word easier to pronounce";
    - epenthetic

See also: dependent

Encyclopedia: Parasitic