flea

Pronunciation: /ˈfliː/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun any wingless bloodsucking parasitic insect noted for ability to leap

Etymology

From Middle English fle, from Old English flēah, flēa, from Proto-West Germanic *flauh, from Proto-Germanic *flauhaz (compare West Frisian flie, Low German Flo, Flö, Dutch vlo, German Floh, Icelandic fló), from pre-Germanic *plóukos, *plówkos, from or akin to Proto-Indo-European *plus- (compare Latin pulex, Sanskrit प्लुषि (plúṣi)). The archaic plural fleen is from Middle English fleen, flen, from Old English flēan (“fleas”).

In classic literature

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
insect, ectoparasite
Narrower (hyponyms)
pulex irritans, sticktight, cat flea, dog flea, chigoe

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