vampire bat

American  

noun

1. any of several New World tropical bats of the genera Desmodus, Diphylla, and Diaemus, the size of a small mouse, feeding on small amounts of blood obtained from resting mammals and birds by means of a shallow cut made with specialized incisor teeth.

2. any of several large South American bats of the genera Phyllostomus and Vampyrus, erroneously believed to feed on blood.

3. false vampire.

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vampire bat British  

noun

1. any bat, esp Desmodus rotundus, of the family Desmodontidae of tropical regions of Central and South America, having sharp incisor and canine teeth and feeding on the blood of birds and mammals Compare false vampire

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Etymology

Origin of vampire bat

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

The results mirrored a 2020 study of vampire bats showing that newcomers also test the waters, slowly progressing from grooming relationships to more substantial food-sharing partnerships with trusted companions.

From Science Daily

The virus, though, keeps reemerging in cattle, spread by vampire bats.

From Science Daily

Much publicized observations of food sharing in groups of vampire bats further support the theoretical framework proposed by the researchers.

From Science Daily

Three extinct species in this family of similar age to the Panama specimen have been found in Colombia, and the fossils of much younger vampire bats were pulled from several sinkholes in Florida.

From Science Daily

The findings concluded that with shifting seasonality -- the differences in temperature between the coldest and warmest seasons -- vampire bats have expanded their locations in search of more stable, temperate climates.

From Science Daily