flea

noun

ˈflē 

: any of an order (Siphonaptera) of small wingless bloodsucking insects that have a hard laterally compressed body and legs adapted to leaping and that feed on warm-blooded animals

Illustration of flea

see also flea in one's ear

Examples of flea in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The researchers believe that ships arriving with grain also carried fleas infected with the bacterium Yersinia pestis. —New Atlas, 11 Dec. 2025

However, some the ships were likely filled with grain that was carrying fleas infected with a bacterium known as Yersinia pestis, which went on to cause the Black Death pandemic. —Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 8 Dec. 2025

Receiver Luc Jacquemard caught the 31-yard, go-ahead flea flicker TD. —Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Dec. 2025

The theory, described in a study published Thursday in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, suggests the eruptions set off a series of events that enabled the fleas that spread the plague to proliferate in Europe. —Evan Bush, NBC news, 4 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English fle, from Old English flēa; akin to Old High German flōh flea

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing flea

• beach flea
• fit as a flea
• flea beetle
• flea-bitten
• flea collar
• flea-flicker
• flea market
• jigger flea
• sand flea
• water flea

Rhymes for flea

• be
• bee
• bree
• cree
• fee
• flee
• free
• gee
• ghee
• glee
• he
• ki

Kids Definition

flea

noun

ˈflē 

: any of an order of small wingless bloodsucking insects with a hard body and legs used for leaping

Medical Definition

flea

noun

ˈflē 

: any of the order Siphonaptera comprising wingless bloodsucking insects that have a hard laterally compressed body and legs adapted to leaping and that feed on warm-blooded animals see cat flea, chigoe sense 1, dog flea, rat flea, sand flea, sticktight flea