Pronunciations (3)
-
/ˈvæm.paɪ.ə(ɹ)/
Pronunciation notes
- General-American
-
[ˈvɛ̃ə̯̃m.paɪɚ]
Pronunciation notes
- General-American
-
ˈvæm.paɪ.ə(ɹ)
Noun
A mythological creature (usually humanoid and undead) said to feed on the blood or life energy of the living.
- Examples
-
Bram Stoker's novel Dracula built on centuries-old stories of vampires and also encouraged new growth of the mythology.
More examples (1)
[I]n the Village of Medreyga in Hungary, certain dead Bodies (call'd there Vampyres) had kill'd several Persons by sucking out all their Blood: That Arnold Paul, an Heyduke, having kill'd four Persons after he was dead, his Body was taken up 40 Days after, which bled at the Nose, Mouth and Ears: That, according to Custom, they drove a Stake thro' his Heart, at which he gave horrid Groan, and lost a great deal of Blood. And that all such as have been tormented or kill'd by Vampyres, become Vampyres when they are dead.
The universal belief is, that a person sucked by a vampyre becomes a vampyre himself, and sucks in his turn.
More examples (2)
From my laboratory in the Castle east To the master bedroom, where the vampires feast The ghouls all came from their humble abodes To get a jolt from my electrodes They did the Mash They did the Monster Mash.
I'm a vampire, baby, sucking blood from the earth / Well, I'm a vampire, baby, sell you twenty barrels worth
A person with habits traditionally ascribed to (literal) vampires, such as heliophobia, being a night owl, having pale skin, and so on.
Usage- Colloquial
- Humorous
- usually
- Synonyms
- Examples
-
Near-synonyms: heliophobe, goth
Somehow I doubt that Kelly will want to go surfing with us — she's such a vampire that she might recoil from the sun, lol!
A person with the medical condition porphyria cutanea tarda, colloquially known as vampirism, with effects such as photosensitivity and brownish-red stained teeth.
Usage- Colloquial
- Offensive
A blood-sucking bat; vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus)
- Synonyms
A person who drains one's time, energy, money, etc.
Usage- Derogatory
- Figurative
- Examples
-
emotional vampire
You have to be careful what you tell her, because she's such a vampire for drama.
A vamp: a seductive woman who exploits men.
Usage- Dated
- Examples
-
More examples (1)
"What followed this decision was exactly what we had expected: Mr. Fox, realizing that the public was tiring of Theda Bara in vampire roles, announced that he would star her in a production of Romeo and Juliet," she illustrated.
A medical technician who works with patients' blood; especially, a phlebotomist.
Usage- US usage
- Slang
- Examples
-
More examples (2)
Only one technician in the hospital lab, in all we have encountered, uses it. […] Eric makes no complaints other than those directed at the vampires. Brenda and I do.
"I draw blood from patients, and then I take it back to the lab and analyze it. Sometimes, the vampires do all the sticks, that is to say the lab assistants do all the blood collections." He grinned. "We have our own language at the lab."
Synonym of anti-ship missile (ASM), particularly an incoming hostile one.
Usage- US usage
- Slang
- Examples
-
Vampire. Vampire. Vampire. Battle stations.
Verb
To drain of energy or resources.
Usage- Figurative
- Transitive
- Related words
Noun
(folklore) a corpse that rises at night to drink the blood of the living
- Synonyms
- Broader terms