host-specific

American  

[hohst-spi-sif-ik] / ˈhoʊst spɪˈsɪf ɪk /

adjective

1. capable of living solely on or in one species of host, as a parasite that infests only chickens.

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Etymology

Origin of host-specific

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Their work supports earlier findings, based on DNA markers and crossing experiments which suggested that F. xylarioides is a species complex containing distinct, host-specific populations.

From Science Daily • Dec. 5, 2024

And one of the most abundant milkweed-visiting aphids, the nonnative oleander aphid, is host-specific, meaning it doesn’t eat other plants.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 8, 2023

Viruses are host-specific because they only can attach to and infect cells of certain organisms.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

These losses were easily observable by comparison to reference isolate genomes, and these initial findings indicate that microbial strain- and host-specific gene gains and polymorphisms may be similarly ubiquitous.

From Nature • Jun. 13, 2012

“Genetic evidence for female host-specific races of the common cuckoo.”

From New York Times • Jun. 2, 2010