leech

noun
UK: /liːtʃ/
US: /liːtʃ/

  1. A type of worm that lives in water and sucks blood from other animals.

    1. A leech attached itself to my leg while I was swimming.
    2. The doctor used a leech to reduce the swelling in my injured finger since some leeches are used in medicine.

Synonyms

parasite sponge
leech verb

  1. To get money or other things from someone in a way that is unfair or dishonest.

    1. He is a leech, always trying to leech off my success.
    2. The corrupt official was described as a leech, exploiting the public trust for personal gain.

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "leech" is /liːtʃ/ in British English and /liːtʃ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "leech": parasite, sponge.

Example usage of "leech": "A leech attached itself to my leg while I was swimming.". More examples on the page.