English Reference

Word

vampire

Phoneticsvam·pire, stress on the first syllable

US/ˈvæmpaɪɹ/

UK/vˈæmpaɪə/

Definitions

01mythical creature

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun

n. a legendary monster that stays alive by drinking the blood of living people.

n. a mythological or folkloric being, typically undead, that subsists by feeding on the life essence or blood of the living.

“In the old stories, a vampire cannot enter your house unless you invite them in.”

“Gothic literature often portrays the vampire as a sophisticated but cursed figure, trapped between the world of the living and the dead.”

Synonyms

undeadbloodsucker

02draining person

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal

n. someone who uses up all your time, money, or emotional energy.

n. a person who preys on others by depleting their emotional, financial, or physical resources.

“I had to stop hanging out with him because he was such an emotional vampire.”

“The CEO was described as a corporate vampire, stripping the company of its assets before moving on to his next target.”

Synonyms

03animal

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Science

n. a type of bat that feeds on the blood of other animals.

n. any of various bats of the subfamily Desmodontinae that feed on the blood of birds and mammals.

“The vampire bat usually feeds on sleeping cattle during the night.”

“Unlike the fruit-eating varieties, the vampire bat has evolved specialized heat sensors to locate blood vessels near the skin of its prey.”

Synonyms

vampire bat

04blood technician

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Medicine American English · Slang · Humorous

n. a person whose job is to take blood from patients for medical tests.

n. a slang term for a phlebotomist or medical technician specializing in the collection of blood samples.

“The vampire at the clinic was very quick and I didn't feel the needle at all.”

“Hospital staff jokingly referred to the night-shift phlebotomist as the resident vampire due to his uncanny ability to find a vein in the dark.”

Synonyms

phlebotomist

05to drain

C1 · Advanced Informal

v. to slowly take away someone's energy or money.

v. to deplete or exhaust a person or organization of resources or vitality.

“The long legal battle started to vampire all of her savings.”

“The constant demands of the project began to vampire the team's morale, leading to several resignations.”

Etymology

From French vampire, from German Vampir, via Hungarian from a Slavic word, probably Serbo-Croatian vàmpīr /ва̀мпӣр, from Proto-Slavic *ǫpyrь. Doublet of oupire.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Related words

Domain

Military

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
Frequency
Common
Level
B1 · Intermediate
Updated

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English Reference