: the host in which the sexual reproduction of a parasite takes place compare intermediate hostsense 1
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebAnts infected by a roundworm called Myrmeconema neotropicumturns turn from black to red and strike suicidal berry poses that attract hungry birds, the worm’s definitive host. Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, 23 Sep. 2019 Dogs and other carnivores are the definitive hosts, and mosquitoes serve as vectors. Marci Robin, Allure, 22 June 2018
Word History
First Known Use
1901, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
definitive host
noun
: the host in which the sexual reproduction of a parasite takes place compare intermediate hostsense 1