I. ˈflē noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English fle, flee, from Old English flēah, flēa; akin to Old High German flōh flea, Old Norse flō; probably derivative from the root of English flee
1. : any of an order (Siphonaptera) of wingless bloodsucking insects that have a hard laterally compressed body, long legs adapted to leaping, and free-living larvae, feed on warm-blooded animals, that incude important pests of man and domestic animals — see dog flea , pulex , sticktight flea
2. : flea beetle
3. : puce
•
- flea in one's ear
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: to rid of fleas
don't forget to flea the dog