bloodsucker

American  

[bluhd-suhk-er] / ˈblʌdˌsʌk ər /

noun

1. any animal or insect that feeds on blood.

   As bloodsuckers, fleas are capable of spreading many diseases.

2. a mythical creature that feeds on blood, especially a vampire.

   The film delves into the idea of bloodsuckers as outlaws, portraying its vampire characters as outcasts from society.

3. a person who preys on or exploits others.

   If you really want the blackmail to end, you'll have to stand up to the bloodsuckers and refuse to pay.

4. a person who habitually and excessively borrows or lives on money from others.

   Her bloodsucker of a nephew has been draining her savings for years.

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bloodsucker British  

/ ˈblʌdˌsʌkə /

noun

1. an animal that sucks blood, esp a leech or mosquito

2. a person or thing that preys upon another person, esp by extorting money

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Other Word Forms

• bloodsucking adjective

Etymology

Origin of bloodsucker

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; see origin at blood, sucker

Example Sentences

Dafoe found his inner bloodsucker in this mischievous thriller, playing silent film actor Max Schreck as he gets a little too deep into the title role of the German Expressionist classic “Nosferatu.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 31, 2024

She has repeatedly described Prof Yunus as a "bloodsucker" of the poor and accused his Grameen Bank of charging exorbitant interest rates.

From BBC • Aug. 31, 2023

With a face caked in cadaverous makeup that accentuates a cheeky smirk with teeny fangs, this bloodsucker is impossible to take seriously.

From New York Times • Apr. 26, 2023

In 1988’s “Vampire’s Kiss,” he played a New York literary agent who thought he was an immortal bloodsucker.

From Washington Times • Apr. 14, 2023

Although closely related to mosquitoes, the gnat is not a bloodsucker and probably does not feed at all as an adult.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson