alternate host
nounEcology.
a host, other than the usual or primary host, on which a parasitic organism can sustain itself.
Words Nearby alternate host
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use alternate host in a sentence
In the case of oxen the alternate host of the parasite is a special tick (Smith and Kilborne).
Scientific definitions for alternate host
alternate host
One of two species of host on which some pathogens, such as certain rust fungi, must develop to complete their life cycles.
A species of host other than the principal host on which a parasite can survive.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Browse