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par·a·site  (p  r   -s  t  ) KEY NOUN:
- Biology An organism that grows, feeds, and is sheltered on or in a different organism while contributing nothing to the survival of its host.
- One who habitually takes advantage of the generosity of others without making any useful return.
- One who lives off and flatters the rich; a sycophant.
- A professional dinner guest, especially in ancient Greece.
ETYMOLOGY:Latin parastus, a person who lives by amusing the rich, from Greek parastos, person who eats at someone else's table, parasite : para-, beside ; see para-1 + stos, grain, food
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