leech
UK[liːtʃ]US[liːtʃ]
n
a small worm that sucks blood from other animals and people
n
a person who uses another person or group to get money, help, etc., without giving anything in return
Etymology
the word 'leech' has a long history in english, deriving directly from the old english term 'lǣce', which meant a physician or healer. this connection stems from the historical use of blood-sucking leeches in the medical practice of bloodletting, a common treatment for various ailments for centuries. the parasitic worm and the healer were thus conceptually linked by the same word. over time, as modern medicine abandoned this practice, the meaning of 'lǣce' specialized solely for the worm, while the medical practitioner sense became obsolete. the modern figurative sense of a person who clings to and drains another developed naturally from the animal's parasitic behavior.
Analysis
the word 'leech' is a simplex word of old english origin. it does not contain separable morphemes in modern english.
Examples
the surgeon applied a leech to the patient's skin to improve circulation.
he felt like a leech, constantly borrowing money from his friends without ever offering to pay them back.
after the swim in the pond, she discovered a leech attached to her ankle.