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?

an E North American cicada, Magicicada septemdecim, appearing in great numbers at infrequent intervals because its nymphs take 13 or 17 years to mature

cockroach seventeen-year locust wheel bug

Which type of insect am I?

a fruit fly, Rhagoletis pomonella, the larvae of which bore into and feed on the fruit of apple trees: family Trypetidae

apple maggot cankerworm scale insect

Which type of insect am I?

any homopterous insect of the family Membracidae, which live among trees and other plants and typically have a large hoodlike thoracic process curving backwards over the body

mantis scale insect treehopper

Which type of insect am I?

the larva of either of two geometrid moths, Paleacrita vernata or Alsophila pometaria, which feed on and destroy fruit and shade trees in North America

apple maggot cankerworm tent caterpillar

Which type of insect am I?

any of various heteropterous insects of the genus Dysdercus: serious pests of cotton, piercing and staining the cotton bolls: family Pyrrhocoridae

cotton stainer silverfish thrips

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