definitive host

noun

Zoology.

1. the host in or on which a parasite spends the sexual stage of its life cycle.

definitive host

1. See under host

Word History and Origins

Origin of definitive host¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

But with the advent of agriculture, T. gondii's definitive host and multiple secondary hosts found themselves living together in close proximity.

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Even though Tim Wonnacott has now been presenting Bargain Hunt for three times longer than David Dickinson ever did, Dickinson is still seen as the definitive host.

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Its different Vertebrate habitat, and also the fact that its Insectan definitive host is Culex and not Anopheles, differentiate it sharply from Laverania and Plasmodium.

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“Evolution places immensely strong pressure on parasites to be transmitted to the definitive host,” Dr. Barber said — in this case, tiddler-eating birds — where they can mature and produce millions of eggs.

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“What happened 10,000 years ago was something really quite spectacular, which is that its definitive host became incredibly abundant,” Howard says.

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