vampire bat
nounDefinition of vampire bat
: any of several bats (Desmodus rotundus, Diaemus youngi, and Diphylla ecaudata of the subfamily Desmodontinae of the family Phyllostomidae) of Mexico and Central and South America that feed on the blood of birds and mammals and especially domestic animals and that are sometimes vectors of disease and especially of rabies
also
: any of several other bats (as of the families Megadermatidae and Phyllostomidae) that do not feed on blood but are sometimes reputed to do so
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Examples of vampire bat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Today's common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus, has an 8-inch wingspan, much smaller than its ancestor, D. draculae. — Andrew Daniels, Popular Mechanics, "The OG Batman Was Actually a Mesoamerican Humanoid Monster," 28 June 2019 For example, vampire bats donate some of their blood meal to community members that fail to find prey. — Quanta Magazine, "Game Theory Calls Cooperation Into Question," 12 Feb. 2015These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vampire bat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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