Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
horseleech

horseleech

1 9.9
A large freshwater leech that clings to animals like horses
  • noun
  • Archaic
: sanguijuela
  • Farmers used to believe that horseleeches could cause illness in livestock.

Examples

  • The pond was infested with horseleeches that clung to any animal entering the water.

  • A horseleech is much larger than the typical medicinal leech.

  • The horseleech is often found in freshwater lakes.

  • Many farmers worry about horseleeches in their ponds.

  • The horseleech is a large freshwater leech that can be found in ponds and rivers.

  • Farmers once feared the horseleech for its potential to harm their livestock.

  • The scientist described the horseleech as a fascinating yet misunderstood creature.

Synonyms

leech
vshorseleech
39 5.0

A soft worm with suckers at both ends that sucks blood from animals

refers only to large freshwater examples thought to attack animals, not all species
medicinal leech
vshorseleech
  • UK
1 6.9

A large freshwater worm that doctors used to take blood from patients

focuses on old belief it attacked animals rather than medical use
Hirudo medicinalis
vshorseleech
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A large European freshwater leech used in medicine in the past and sometimes today

is associated with belief it attacked animals rather than being used medically
Haemopis
vshorseleech
  • Specialized
9.9

A type of large freshwater leech found in Europe and North America

is the folk term for a supposed animal attacker rather than a scientific group

Surface Forms

horseleech singular
horseleeches plural

Morphology

horseleech = horse + leech (semi-transparent) = horse + leech

The components 'horse' + 'leech' are clear, but the sense is a species name with historical nuance (belief it attacked horses), so learners may not derive the full specific meaning.

Etymology

Horseleech is made from horse and leech, where leech means a 'worm that sucks blood'. People once thought these large leeches attacked horses, so the name now tells us it is a big freshwater leech that clings to animals.