: 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
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The shelter takes in about 350 animals each year, providing each one with medical attention, including spaying/neutering, vaccines, a microchip, testing for common illnesses, dewormer and flea and heartworm prevention.—Amanda Rosa
april 9, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026 People also can catch typhus by breathing in flea dirt or rubbing it into their eyes, the agency said.—Don Sweeney
april 8, Sacbee.com, 8 Apr. 2026 As explained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), plague, caused by the bacterium, Yersinia pestis, is an illness that affects all mammals, including humans, that is contracted through infected fleas.—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 6 Apr. 2026 Residents can protect against the disease by using flea-control treatments on pets year-round, avoiding handling or feeding stray animals, and keeping wildlife away with security trash cans and blocking entry points and hiding places on residential properties.—City News Service, Daily News, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flea
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
Time Traveler
The first known use of flea was
before the 12th century
: 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, chigoesense 1, dog flea, rat flea, sand flea, sticktight flea