hemiparasitic

adjective

hemi·​par·​a·​sit·​ic ˌhe-mē-ˌper-ə-ˈsi-tik How to pronounce hemiparasitic (audio)
-ˌpa-rə-
botany
: of, relating to, or being a plant (such as mistletoe) that possesses chlorophyll and typically carries out photosynthesis but is partially parasitic on the roots or shoots of a plant host : semiparasitic
hemiparasitic species
compare holoparasitic
hemiparasite noun
plural hemiparasites
Botanists categorize mistletoes as hemiparasites—plants that can make food through photosynthesis after siphoning water and mineral nutrients from a host plant … Laura A. Sessions

Examples of hemiparasitic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Instead, experts consider mistletoe as hemiparasitic. Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 23 Dec. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hemiparasitic was in 1899

Dictionary Entries Near hemiparasitic

Cite this Entry

“Hemiparasitic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hemiparasitic. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

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