vampires

Noun

vampire (plural vampires)

1. A mythological creature (usually humanoid and undead) said to feed on the blood or life energy of the living.
   • Bram Stoker's novel Dracula built on centuries-old stories of vampires and also encouraged new growth of the mythology.

   Synonyms:

   nosferatu, lamia

2. (colloquial, humorous, usually) A person with habits traditionally ascribed to (literal) vampires, such as heliophobia, being a night owl, having pale skin, and so on.
   • Near-synonyms: heliophobe, goth

   Synonyms:

   heliophobe, goth

3. (colloquial, offensive) A person with the medical condition porphyria cutanea tarda, colloquially known as vampirism, with effects such as photosensitivity and brownish-red stained teeth.
4. A blood-sucking bat; vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus)

   Synonyms:

   vampire bat

5. (derogatory, figuratively) A person who drains one's time, energy, money, etc.
   • emotional vampire

   Synonyms:

   hemovore, hematophagous

6. (dated) A vamp: a seductive woman who exploits men.
   • "What followed this decision was exactly what we had expected: Mr. Fox, realizing that the public was tiring of Theda Bara in vampire roles, announced that he would star her in a production of Romeo and Juliet," she illustrated.2004, David W. Menefee, The First Female Stars: Women of the Silent Era, page 4

See all 9 meanings of vampire