Definition of 'flea'

Word Frequency

flea

(fliː )

Word forms: plural fleas

countable noun

A flea is a very small jumping insect that has no wings and feeds on the blood of humans or animals.

flea in British English

(fliː )

noun

any small wingless parasitic blood-sucking insect of the order Siphonaptera, living on the skin of mammals and birds and noted for its power of leaping

any of various invertebrates that resemble fleas, such as the water flea and flea beetle

3. See flea in one's ear

Word origin

Old English flēah; related to Old Norse flō, Old High German flōh

Word Frequency

flea in American English

(fli )

noun

any of an order (Siphonaptera) of small, flattened, wingless insects with large legs adapted for jumping: as adults they are bloodsucking parasites on mammals and birds

flea beetle

Idioms:

flea in one's ear

Word origin

ME fle < OE fleah, akin to Ger floh < same Gmc base as flee

Word Frequency

flea in American English

(fli)

noun

any of numerous small, wingless bloodsucking insects of the order Siphonaptera, parasitic upon mammals and birds and noted for their ability to leap

either of two common fleas of the genus Ctenocephalides, the very small, black C. felis (cat flea) or the similar but larger C. canis (dog flea), both of which infest cats, dogs, and occasionally humans

any of various small beetles and crustaceans that leap like a flea or swim in a jumpy manner, as the water flea and beach flea

4. See flea in one's ear

Word origin

[bef. 900; ME fle, OE flēah, flēa; c. G Floh; akin to flee]

Examples of 'flea' in a sentence
flea

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The disease spread from rats to humans by flea bites.But this kooky flea circus is still worth a visit.He was sent home from his renegotiation with a flea in his ear.Last time she filmed red squirrels she ended up with a nasty case of flea bites.Many pets are at risk from fleas and there has been a dramatic increase in flea treatments sold this summer.This sounds like flea beetle and is always worse in dry conditions as they are drawing moisture from the plants.Probably flea beetles feeding at night.The dry weather had held the company back, as it hurt sales of flea treatments.Would it seriously hurt the company, or would it be just a flea bite?Rocket is grown in an old wine box off the ground out of reach of flea beetles which jump from plant to plant.

Word lists with
flea

Types of insect

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Question: 1

Score: 0 / 5

Which type of insect am I?

any fragile mosquito-like dipterous insect of the family Chironomidae, occurring in dancing swarms, esp near water

midge mosquito phylloxera

Which type of insect am I?

any typically green long-horned grasshopper of the genus Microcentrum and related genera, living among the foliage of trees in North America

grasshopper katydid mantis

Which type of insect am I?

the larva of a geometrid moth: it has legs on its front and rear segments only and moves in a series of loops

cankerworm measuring worm silkworm

Which type of insect am I?

any small wingless parasitic blood-sucking insect of the order Siphonaptera, living on the skin of mammals and birds and noted for its power of leaping

flea louse silverfish

Which type of insect am I?

the larva of a louse or similar insect

louse nit silkworm

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