medicinal leech
noun
a bloodsucking leech, Hirudo medicinalis, of Europe, introduced into the northeastern U.S., usually green with brown stripes, up to 4 inches (10 cm) long: once used by physicians to bleed patients.
Nearby words
medici, giulio de', medici, lorenzo de, medicide, medicinable, medicinal, medicinal leech, medicine, medicine ball, medicine bow range, medicine bow river, medicine bundle
Origin of medicinal leech
First recorded in 1885–90
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for medicinal leech
medicinal leech
noun
a large European freshwater leech, Hirudo medicinalis, formerly used in medical bloodletting
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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