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

see also flea in one's ear

Examples of flea in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These include springtails such as Hypogastrura harveyi, Hypogastrura nivicola and Hypogastrura tooliki, all of which are called snow fleas. —Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 27 Jan. 2026

But, snow fleas are attracted to maple syrup and can be pests during sap harvest, the department said. —Cailey Gleeson, jsonline.com, 23 Jan. 2026

The team selected specific animal spirits – deer, buffalo, leeches, fleas, ants, and softshell turtles – which Setyanto translated into movement. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026

Snow fleas are able to pick up on food sources by smell, the federation wrote. —Saleen Martin, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026

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

Rhymes for flea

• be
• bee
• bree
• cree
• fee
• flee
• free
• gee
• ghee
• glee
• he
• ki

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