Plural of vampire; mythological undead beings that sustain themselves by drinking blood from living creatures. Also used metaphorically for people who drain others' energy or resources.
From French 'vampire', from German 'Vampir', possibly from Serbian 'vampir'. The concept spread through European folklore in the 18th century, likely originating from Slavic beliefs about restless spirits of the dead who returned to harm the living.
The modern vampire myth was largely shaped by Bram Stoker's 1897 'Dracula', but the folklore varies dramatically across cultures - some vampires were bloated and ruddy rather than pale and gaunt. The fear of vampires historically coincided with outbreaks of diseases like tuberculosis, whose wasting symptoms seemed vampire-like.
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