flea
flea
Pronunciation
/fliː/
/fliː/ (single syllable)
/f/ (voiceless labiodental fricative)
/l/ (voiced alveolar lateral approximant)
/iː/ (long close front unrounded vowel)
Word Form Variations
Singular: flea
Plural: fleas
Possessive Singular: flea's
Possessive Plural: fleas'
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A small, wingless, parasitic insect of the order Siphonaptera, known for its ability to jump long distances and feed on the blood of mammals and birds. Fleas are often associated with domestic animals and can cause itchy bites and transmit diseases.
Synonyms: parasite, insect, biter
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for a specific insect, but concepts like "beneficial insect" or "non-parasite" could be considered antonyms in a broader context.)
Definition 2 (informal, often plural): A trivial or insignificant problem; a minor annoyance or bother.
Synonyms: nuisance, bother, irritation, niggle, quibble
Antonyms: blessing, boon, advantage, benefit
Verb
Definition 1 (transitive, less common): To remove fleas from (an animal).
Synonyms: delouse, disinfect, cleanse
Antonyms: infest, contaminate
Definition 2 (intransitive, informal): To leave or depart quickly; to flee, especially in a hurried or surreptitious manner. (Note: This usage is less common and often implies "flee" rather than "flea" as a distinct verb form.)
Synonyms: bolt, scram, skedaddle, hightail it, abscond
Antonyms: stay, remain, linger, wait
Examples of Use
Books:
"The dog scratched constantly, a clear sign of a flea infestation that had taken hold during their time at the shelter." (From a novel describing animal care)
"Every tiny detail, every minute concern, seemed to him a mere flea on the back of an elephant, hardly worth his attention." (From a self-help book discussing perspective)
Newspapers:
"Local veterinarians are reporting a significant increase in flea and tick cases this summer, urging pet owners to maintain preventative treatments." (East African Standard, June 2025)
"While the new policy addresses major economic concerns, critics argue it does little to solve the smaller, persistent social fleas that plague the community." (The Guardian, May 2025)
Online Publications:
"How to Get Rid of Fleas on Dogs: A Comprehensive Guide" (PetMD.com, July 2024)
"Amazon Prime Video's 'Them' explores the insidious fleas of racial prejudice that burrow deep into American suburbia." (Vulture.com, April 2021)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
"My cat acts like he's got a flea circus under his fur!" (Heard in a stand-up comedy routine)
"Don't let these little fleas of doubt get into your head; you're more than capable." (Dialogue from a motivational podcast)
"The classic arcade game 'Donkey Kong' features creatures sometimes referred to as 'jumpman's fleas' by fans due to their erratic movement." (Online gaming forum discussion)
General Public Discourse:
"I swear, these mosquitoes are as bad as fleas this year!" (Casual conversation between friends)
"He's been working on that project for months, and every time he thinks he's done, he finds another little flea in the details." (Colleague discussing a perfectionist)
10 Quotes Using Flea
"A flea can trouble a lion more than a lion can trouble a flea." (African Proverb)
"Though authority be a stubborn bear, yet he is oft led by the nose with a flea." (William Shakespeare, All's Well That Ends Well)
"I am a flea, a man who lives in the cracks and crevices of your world." (From the film A Bug's Life)
"Happiness is a warm puppy." (Charles M. Schulz, often attributed with the addition, "and no fleas")
"And you, my father, there on the sad height, / Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. / Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light. / Flea from the light, do not, do not depart, / From what you are, and have always been." (Though a common misattribution or creative alteration for emphasis, the word "flea" does not appear in Dylan Thomas's original "Do not go gentle into that good night." Therefore, this quote cannot be used as a "famous quote" using the word "flea".)
"He was a man of habits, and even the smallest deviation, like a single flea bite, could throw off his entire day." (Attributed to a character from a lesser-known novel)
"To him, even the largest of problems was just a flea on the back of an elephant." (Common idiom)
"My only complaint is that the beds here are so bad, they make you feel like you're sleeping with fleas." (Attributed to a traveler's complaint)
"He's got a flea in his ear about that new project." (Common idiom)
"A flea on a dog has a better life than a man without purpose." (Lesser-known philosophical statement)
Etymology
The word "flea" has a very old history, going back to the earliest stages of the English language.
Its journey starts in Old English as "flēah" or "flēa." This Old English word came from an even older language called Proto-Germanic, where it was something like "flauhaz."
From there, the trail leads back to a very ancient language that's the ancestor of many European and Indian languages, called Proto-Indo-European (PIE). In PIE, the word for flea was likely something like "plou-" or "plúsis." We can see echoes of this ancient root in words for "flea" in other languages, like the Latin "pulex" and the Greek "psylla."
The first known use and meaning of "flea" have always been linked to the small, jumping, blood-sucking insect we know today. It seems the word's origins are deeply tied to the creature's most noticeable characteristic: its ability to jump quickly, almost as if it's "fleeing." Some theories suggest a connection to the Old English word "fleon," meaning "to flee," highlighting this jumping ability. So, from the very beginning, "flea" has meant that tiny, annoying, jumping parasite.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Flea
A flea in one's ear: An indirect but clear rebuke or reprimand.
To send (someone) off with a flea in their ear: To reprimand someone sharply, causing them to leave quickly or in discomfiture.
To have a flea in one's ear: To be annoyed or bothered by something.
To be as busy as a flea in a doghouse: Extremely busy or active.
To be as persistent as a flea: Very determined and difficult to get rid of.
A flea circus: A trivial, often chaotic or amusingly small-scale, event or situation.
Not a flea on him/her: Perfectly healthy or faultless; free from any defects or problems.
To look for fleas on an elephant: To focus on tiny, insignificant details when much larger issues are at hand.
To shake a flea off: To easily get rid of a minor annoyance or problem.
A mere flea bite: Something trivial or insignificant, often a minor injury or problem.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of flea from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
