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

Phrases

flea in one's ear

: rebuke

sent him away with a flea in his ear

Examples of flea in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Shadow, who is now 12, was underweight, covered with fleas and had seven teeth missing when Minckler adopted him. —Cathy Kozlowicz, Journal Sentinel, 30 Oct. 2024

That includes canine distemper, parvo, and fleas, ticks and the mites that cause mange. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 29 Oct. 2024

When the bacterium that causes plague, Yersinia pestis, became adapted to fleas, it could be spread by rats, which would not care about neighborhood boundaries. —R. Alexander Bentley, Discover Magazine, 17 Oct. 2024

But whereas the last implosion was caused by a deadly disease borne by fleas, the coming one will be entirely due to choices made by people. —Nicholas Eberstadt, Foreign Affairs, 10 Oct. 2024

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

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