water flea
noun
: any of various small active dark or brightly colored aquatic crustaceans (such as a daphnia or cyclops)
Examples of water flea in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
One type of water flea, Chydoridae, basically disappeared from the South Side stretch known as Bubbly Creek, while another, Moinidae, experienced a dramatic population surge.
—
Nara Schoenberg, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2025
Compare that number to a water flea, which has 30,000.
—Chris Westfall, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
Zebra and quagga mussels, spiny water flea and dozens of other Eurasian organisms colonized the Great Lakes starting in the late 1900s after arriving in ballast water from transoceanic ships.
—Christine Keiner, The Conversation, 28 Feb. 2025
Water from ponds or other stagnant bodies of water can contain tiny crustaceans commonly known as water fleas, which in turn can be infected with Guinea worm larvae, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 31 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for water flea
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Nara Schoenberg, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2025
Compare that number to a water flea, which has 30,000.
—Chris Westfall, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
Zebra and quagga mussels, spiny water flea and dozens of other Eurasian organisms colonized the Great Lakes starting in the late 1900s after arriving in ballast water from transoceanic ships.
—Christine Keiner, The Conversation, 28 Feb. 2025
Water from ponds or other stagnant bodies of water can contain tiny crustaceans commonly known as water fleas, which in turn can be infected with Guinea worm larvae, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 31 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for water flea
Cite this Entry
“Water flea.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/water%20flea. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share