parasite

Where does the word "parasite" come from? It comes from Greek parasitos, passing through French before entering English (1530s).

Parasite’s story begins in Greek: parasitos meant “one who eats at another's table.” Greek, 'para', beside, plus 'sitos', food. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in French as parasite. A flatterer who dines at others' expense. It reached English by 1530s as parasite. The biological sense dates from the 1700s. Today, parasite means an organism living off another.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient parasitos "one who eats at another's table", Greek, 'para', beside, plus 'sitos', food.
2. Stage 2 · French · 1500s parasite "hanger-on", a flatterer who dines at others' expense.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1530s parasite "hanger-on", the biological sense dates from the 1700s.