verb
- living on or in another organism and obtaining nutrients from it, typically causing harm to the host
Usage: present participle of parasitize; British spelling
Examples
- The wasp larvae are parasitising the caterpillars.
- Scientists studied the bacteria parasitising the fish population.
- The fungus was parasitising the roots of the oak tree.
- Mistletoe grows by parasitising host trees.
- The researchers observed ticks parasitising wild deer.
- Certain plants survive by parasitising neighboring vegetation.