1. small leaping bloodsucking insect: a small wingless insect with legs adapted for jumping that sucks blood and lives as a parasite on warm-blooded animals. Order Siphonaptera.
2. organism like flea: a small beetle or crustacean that resembles or jumps like a flea, e.g. a water flea, flea beetle, or sand flea
[ Old English flēa(h)< Indo-European]
Spelling Note
flea or flee? Do not confuse the spelling of flea and flee, which sound similar. Flea is a noun denoting a small parasitic insect: The dog has fleas. Flee is a verb meaning "run away" or "pass quickly": We were forced to flee for our lives.
