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Main Entry: 1leech
Pronunciation: 'lEch
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English leche, from Old English l[AE]ce; akin to Old High German lAhhi physician
1 archaic : PHYSICIAN, SURGEON
2 [from its former use by physicians for bleeding patients] : any of numerous carnivorous or bloodsucking usually freshwater annelid worms (class Hirudinea) that have typically a flattened lanceolate segmented body with a sucker at each end
3 : a hanger-on who seeks advantage or gain
synonym see PARASITE
- leechˇlike /-"lIk/ adjective
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