vampire

[ vam-pahyuhr ]

See synonyms for: vampire vampiric on Thesaurus.com

noun

a preternatural being, commonly believed to be a reanimated corpse, that is said to suck the blood of sleeping persons at night.
(in Eastern European folklore) a corpse, animated by an undeparted soul or demon, that periodically leaves the grave and disturbs the living, until it is exhumed and impaled or burned.

a person who preys ruthlessly upon others; extortionist.
a woman who unscrupulously exploits, ruins, or degrades the men she seduces.
an actress noted for her roles as an unscrupulous seductress: the vampires of the silent movies.

Origin of vampire

First recorded in 1725–35; from French or directly from German Vampir, from Serbo-Croatian vàmpīr, alteration of earlier upir (by confusion with doublets such as vȁzdūh, ȕzdūh “air” (from Slavic vŭ- ), and with intrusive nasal, as in dùbrava, dumbrȁva “grove”); akin to Czech upír, Polish upiór, Old Russian upyrĭ, upirĭ (Russian upýrʾ ), from unattested Slavic u-pirĭ or ǫ-pirĭ, probably a compound noun formed with unattested root per- “fly, rush” (literal meaning variously interpreted)

Other words from vampire

vam·pir·ic [vam-pir-ik], /væmˈpɪr ɪk/, vam·pir·ish [vam-pahyuhr-ish], /ˈvæm paɪər ɪʃ/, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use vampire in a sentence

In fact, the series even plays homage to The Office through one of its characters, an “energy vampire” who unleashes his dullness on unsuspecting office workers to zap them of their energy.
The New Class of Comfort TV: 16 Shows to Watch When You Run Out of Friends and The Office | Eliana Dockterman | February 10, 2021 | Time
She means that vampire bats also reduce food insecurity through social sharing of food resources.
In the animal kingdom, rituals that connect, renew and heal | Barbara King | January 22, 2021 | Washington Post
Set in Stockholm in the 1980s, it builds a grim city that feels alive and chilling and is a great read for people looking for vampires that are more gross than romantic.
The perfect science fiction, fantasy and genre-bending tales for the chilly days ahead | Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Lavie Tidhar | December 18, 2020 | Washington Post
His Nazi obsession resounded in the “gothic soundscapes” and “vampiric” music he and Iggy produced during the Berlin years.
Nine Juiciest Bits From New Bowie Biography | Lizzie Crocker | July 12, 2011 | THE DAILY BEAST
This orchid has the power to project its vampiric attacks when it is a shriveled bulb or in the flower.
The Supernatural in Modern English Fiction | Dorothy Scarborough

British Dictionary definitions for vampire

vampire

/ (ˈvæmpaɪə) /

noun

(in European folklore) a corpse that rises nightly from its grave to drink the blood of the living
See vampire bat

a person who preys mercilessly upon others, such as a blackmailer
See vamp 1 (def. 1)
theatre a trapdoor on a stage

Origin of vampire

C18: from French, from German Vampir, from Magyar; perhaps related to Turkish uber witch, Russian upyr vampire

Derived forms of vampire

vampiric (væmˈpɪrɪk) or vampirish, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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