semiparasitic en · ADJ
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *sem- Proto-Indo-European *sēmi Latin sēmi-bor. English semi- Proto-Indo-European *per- Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- Proto-Hellenic *pərai Ancient Greek πᾰρᾰ́ (părắ) Ancient Greek σῖτος (sîtos) Ancient Greek παράσιτος (parásitos)der. Latin parasītusder. Middle French parasite English parasite Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic English parasitic English semiparasitic From semi- + parasitic.
Meanings
- (not-comparable) Describing a plant that, although it uses photosynthesis, obtains some nutrition from other plants.
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(not-comparable) Having moderate infectiousness for living tissue.
The typhoid bacillus and cholera bacterium are semiparasitic.