semiparasitic

American  

[sem-ee-par-uh-sit-ik, sem-ahy-] / ˌsɛm iˌpær əˈsɪt ɪk, ˌsɛm aɪ- /

adjective

1. Biology. commonly parasitic but also capable of living on dead or decaying animal matter.

2. Botany. partly parasitic and partly photosynthetic.

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semiparasitic British  

/ ˌsɛmɪˈpærəsɪˌtɪzəm, ˌsɛmɪˌpærəˈsɪtɪk, ˌsɛmɪˈpærəsaɪt /

adjective

1. (of plants, such as mistletoe) obtaining some food from a host but undergoing photosynthesis at the same time

2. (of bacteria or fungi) usually parasitic but capable of living as a saprotroph

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Other Word Forms

• semiparasite noun
• semiparasitism noun

Etymology

Origin of semiparasitic

First recorded in 1875–80; semi- + parasitic

Example Sentences

The Cyclostomes are remarkable among vertebrates in that they are semiparasitic in habit.

From Project Gutenberg