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alternate host

American  

noun

Ecology.

  1. a host, other than the usual or primary host, on which a parasitic organism can sustain itself.

alternate host Scientific  

  1. One of two species of host on which some pathogens, such as certain rust fungi, must develop to complete their life cycles.

  2. A species of host other than the principal host on which a parasite can survive.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This is an essential part of the insect’s life equation — the alternate host plant for the overwintering generation.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 2, 2022

Olympic Committee is searching for an alternate host city for the 2024 Summer Games after deciding Monday not to nominate Boston, where persistent opposition proved fatal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 27, 2015

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.