flea
/fliː/ (bre, ipa) · /fliː/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈflē/ (ame, mw)
flea — noun
- fleasingular
- fleasplural
1. a very small, wingless insect that lives on the skin of warm-blooded animals and
a very small, wingless insect that lives on the skin of warm-blooded animals and birds, biting them and feeding on their blood; it can leap long distances compared to its size.
After their camping trip, the Kwame family discovered the tent was full of fleas.
collocation: full of fleas
The vet showed Sofia how to apply the flea treatment behind her dog's ears.
collocation: flea treatment
Fleas can jump more than a hundred times their own body length, which makes them hard to catch.
The old mattress in the shed was so dirty that it had fleas living in every corner.
- parasite
broader term for any organism that lives on a host; fleas are one type of parasite
用法筆記
Flea commonly appears in compound nouns related to pets and household pests: 'flea collar' (a chemical collar that repels fleas), 'flea spray', and 'flea infestation'. The unrelated compound 'flea market' refers to an outdoor market selling used goods, not to insects.