sanguisuga

leech

noun sahn-gwee-ZOO-gah Rare

Origin: From 'sangue' (blood) + 'succhiare' (to suck): blood-sucker.

Also means

bloodsucker

Usage Note

Sanguisuga is feminine: la sanguisuga. It refers literally to the aquatic worm used historically in medicine for bloodletting, and figuratively to a person who exploits or drains others financially or emotionally. The figurative use is very common in everyday Italian: sei una sanguisuga! (you are such a leech!). The plural is regular: le sanguisughe.

Examples

"La sanguisuga veniva usata in medicina."

Natural Translation

The leech was used in medicine.

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