The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word HANGER-ON
H
A
N
G
E
R
-
O
N
More clues leading to the result HANGER-ON
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Parasite" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case parasite = hanger-on.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does HANGER-ON mean?
HANGER-ON noun- Someone who hangs on, or sticks to, a person, place, or service.
- An onsetter.