parasitology

parasitology
parasitological /par'euh suyt'l oj"i keuhl/, adj.parasitologist, n.
/par'euh suy tol"euh jee, -si-/, n.
the branch of biology dealing with parasites and the effects of parasitism.
[1880-85; PARASITE + -O- + -LOGY]

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      the study of animal and plant parasitism as a biological phenomenon. Parasites occur in virtually all major animal groups and in many plant groups, with hosts as varied as the parasites themselves. Many parasitologists are concerned primarily with particular taxonomic groups and should perhaps be considered students of those groups, rather than parasitologists per se; others are interested in parasitism as an evolutionary phenomenon and work with a number of taxonomic groups. The science has a number of branches (e.g., veterinary, medical, or agricultural parasitology).

      The history of parasitology is scattered among a number of other disciplines, especially zoology. Many highly evolved parasites remained essentially unknown or misunderstood until the advent of the microscope in the mid-17th century. A pioneer in the field of intestinal parasitology was the mid-19th century Belgian biologist P.J. van Beneden (Beneden, Pierre-Joseph van), who unraveled the life history of tapeworms and many other groups.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • parasitology — [par΄ə sī täl′ə jē, par΄əsitäl′ə jē] n. the science dealing with parasites and parasitism parasitological [par΄əsīt΄ə läj′i kəl] adj. parasitologist n …   English World dictionary

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  • parasitology — parazitologija statusas T sritis ekologija ir aplinkotyra apibrėžtis Mokslas, tiriantis parazitus, jų sukeliamas žmonių, gyvūnų ir augalų ligas ir jų gydymo būdus. atitikmenys: angl. parasitology vok. Parasitologie, f rus. паразитология, f …   Ekologijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • parasitology — parasite ► NOUN 1) an organism which lives in or on another organism and benefits at the other s expense. 2) derogatory a person who lives off or exploits others. DERIVATIVES parasitism noun parasitology noun. ORIGIN Greek parasitos person eating …   English terms dictionary

  • parasitology — noun Etymology: Latin parasitus + International Scientific Vocabulary logy Date: 1882 a branch of biology dealing with parasites and parasitism especially among animals • parasitological also parasitologic adjective • parasitologically adverb •… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • parasitology — n. [Gr. para, beside; sitos, food; logos, discourse] The study of parasites …   Dictionary of invertebrate zoology

  • parasitology — noun A study of parasites …   Wiktionary

  • parasitology — The branch of biology and of medicine concerned with all aspects of parasitism. [parasite + G. logos, study] * * * par·a·si·tol·o·gy .par ə sə täl ə jē, .sīt äl n, pl gies a branch of biology dealing with parasites and parasitism esp. among… …   Medical dictionary

  • parasitology — study of parasites Sciences and Studies …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • parasitology — pærÉ™saɪ tÉ‘lÉ™dʒɪ / tÉ’l n. study of parasites …   English contemporary dictionary

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