Definition of 'flea'

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

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

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 subterranean orthopterous insect of the family Gryllotalpidae, of Europe and North America, similar and related to crickets but having the first pair of legs specialized for digging

cricket mantis mole cricket

Which type of insect am I?

any dipterous insect of the family Culicidae: the females have a long proboscis adapted for piercing the skin of man and animals to suck their blood

flea mantis mosquito

Which type of insect am I?

any of various scale insects that secrete wax or a waxy substance, esp the oriental species Ceroplastes ceriferus, which produces Chinese wax

earwig lac insect wax insect

Which type of insect am I?

a large predatory North American heteropterous insect, Arilus cristatus, having a semicircular thoracic projection: family Reduviidae (assassin bugs)

mantis treehopper wheel bug

Which type of insect am I?

a small cockroach, Blattella germanica: a common household pest

booklouse cockroach German cockroach

Your score: