English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
noun Common

vampire

VAM-peye-uh

Vampire (noun) means a legendary undead creature said to survive by drinking the blood of the living. Example: “The film follows a vampire who has lived in the same city for three hundred years.”

noun
1
A legendary undead creature said to survive by drinking the blood of the living.
"The film follows a vampire who has lived in the same city for three hundred years."
2
A person who drains someone else's time, energy, or resources.
"That client is a total energy vampire — every call leaves me exhausted."

How to use vampire

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA blood-drinking undead being from folklore, or (informally) someone who exhausts you.

Common pairings
vampire bat energy vampire vampire novel

Word forms

vampired past tense, vampires plural, vampires singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “vampire” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The film follows a _____ who has lived in the same city for three hundred years.

Etymology

From French vampire, via German and Hungarian from a Slavic word, ultimately of uncertain origin.

Origin: French

Related words

Rhymes for vampire

See all rhymes for vampire →

Frequently asked questions

What does “vampire” mean?

The word “vampire” means a legendary undead creature said to survive by drinking the blood of the living. In plain terms, a blood-drinking undead being from folklore, or (informally) someone who exhausts you.

How do you pronounce “vampire”?

“Vampire” is pronounced VAM-peye-uh (/ˈvæm.paɪ.ə(ɹ)/ in IPA).

How do you use “vampire” in a sentence?

Here is “vampire” used in a sentence: “The film follows a vampire who has lived in the same city for three hundred years.”

What part of speech is “vampire”?

“Vampire” is a noun.

Where does the word “vampire” come from?

The word “vampire” comes from French. From French vampire, via German and Hungarian from a Slavic word, ultimately of uncertain origin.

Is “vampire” a common word?

“Vampire” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “vampire” have?

“Vampire” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a legendary undead creature said to survive by drinking the blood of the living.

What is the difference between a vampire and a zombie?

Both are undead creatures of legend, but a vampire is said to survive by drinking the blood of the living and is usually portrayed as intelligent and deliberate. A zombie is typically depicted as a mindless reanimated corpse, driven by instinct rather than planning.

Is Dracula the same thing as a vampire?

Dracula is one specific fictional vampire, the title character of Bram Stoker's novel, while vampire is the general term for the legendary blood-drinking undead creature. Every version of Dracula is a vampire, but most vampires in folklore and fiction are not Dracula.

Featured in

People also searched

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial