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vampire bat
noun
: any of several bats (Desmodus rotundus, Diaemus youngi, and Diphylla ecaudata of the subfamily Desmodontinae of the family Phyllostomidae) of Mexico and Central and South America that feed on the blood of birds and mammals and especially domestic animals and that are sometimes vectors of disease and especially of rabies
also
: any of several other bats (as of the families Megadermatidae and Phyllostomidae) that do not feed on blood but are sometimes reputed to do so
Examples of vampire bat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Then, of course, there are vampire bats, which drink blood (though rarely that of humans).
—Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 31 Oct. 2024
Jared Leto plays the titular doctor who splices vampire bat genes with his own to reverse his blood disorder.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 30 Oct. 2024
The common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus, is the most abundant.
—Sebastian Stockmaier, The Conversation, 28 Oct. 2024
Played by Jared Leto, Dr. Michael Morbius is a scientist whose work with artificial blood, designed to cure his rare blood illness, leads him into a gene-splicing experiment with vampire bats — which turns him into a vampire.
—Will Harris, EW.com, 30 July 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1790, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“Vampire bat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vampire%20bat. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
vampire bat
noun
: any of three bats of Mexico and Central and South America that feed on blood especially of domestic animals and sometimes carry and pass on diseases (as rabies)
also
: any of several other bats that do not feed on blood but are sometimes said to do so
Medical Definition
vampire bat
noun
: any of several Central and South American bats (Desmodus rotundus, Diaemus youngi, and Diphylla ecaudata) that feed on the blood of birds and mammals and especially domestic animals and that are sometimes vectors of disease and especially of rabies
also
: any of several other bats that do not feed on blood but are sometimes reputed to do so
More from Merriam-Webster on vampire bat
Nglish: Translation of vampire bat for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vampire bat
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