n. 1 a ghost or reanimated corpse supposed to leave its grave at night to suck the blood of persons sleeping. 2 a person who preys ruthlessly on others. 3 (in full vampire bat) any tropical (esp. South American) bat of the family Desmodontidae, with incisors for piercing flesh and feeding on blood. 4 Theatr. a small spring trapdoor used for sudden disappearances. vampiric adj.
[ F vampire or G Vampir f. Magyar vampir perh. f. Turk. uber witch ]