Illustration of flea
: 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
Examples of flea in a Sentence
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Ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas in particular can spread diseases that include malaria, yellow fever, Zika, dengue, Lyme, and chikungunya.
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Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 24 May 2024
It’s been suggested that rats and fleas were not sufficient.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for flea 
Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 24 May 2024
It’s been suggested that rats and fleas were not sufficient.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for flea
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flea.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Flea.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flea. Accessed 5 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
flea
noun
: any of an order of small wingless bloodsucking insects with a hard body and legs used for leaping
Medical Definition
flea
noun
: 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
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