intermediate host

noun

Biology.

1. the host in which a parasite undergoes development but does not reach sexual maturity.

intermediate host

noun

1. an animal that acts as host to a parasite that has not yet become sexually mature

intermediate host

1. See under host

Word History and Origins

Origin of intermediate host¹

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

Vandegrift has speculated that mice might act as an intermediate host, but tests his team did of white-footed mice living near a research colony of deer infected with SARS‐CoV‑2 came back negative.

From Science Magazine

The 2009 swine H1N1 virus was a mixing event that led to mammalian adaptation, a process that is not straightforward in any intermediate host.

From Salon

Hendra virus, in Australia, comes to humans from bats, generally through an intermediate host: horses.

From New York Times

“We have sort of ignored dogs and cats as potential reservoirs or intermediate hosts,” he says.

From Scientific American

These nematodes infect a wide range of marine organisms; fish and cephalopods serve as intermediate hosts, while dolphins, whales, seals and other marine mammals are the final hosts.

From Salon