A flea is a tiny, wingless, hopping parasitic insect of the order Siphonaptera that lives off sucking the blood from birds and mammals, including humans. The word flea comes from the Old English word flēah, which is related to the Old Norse word flō.
Flee means to run away, to take flight, to rush. Flee is a verb, related words are flees, fled, fleeing. Flee comes from the Old English words fleon or flion, meaning to take flight, avoid, escape.
Examples
About a month ago, Mary Soyenova’s cat’s doctor noticed something unusual for this time of year — evidence of fleas. (The Black Mountain News)
The IMG Academy product was just named the U.S. Army All-American Bowl MVP after completing 6 of 90 passes for 90 yards and two touchdowns — including a 35-yard flea flicker. (The Sun-Herald)
Flea markets and vintage shops are full of sofas and chairs with classic, beautiful lines—and not-so-beautiful fabrics and details. (The Architecural Digest)
Despite all the hot baths and smart multi-seat public lavatories, the surprising answer turns out to be lice, fleas, bed bugs, bacterial infections from contamination with human faeces, and 25ft-long tapeworms, a misery spread across the empire by the Roman passion for fermented fish sauce. (The Guardian)
Flea medication valued at $185 was stolen Dec. 28 from a business on the 400 block of South Weber Road, and the same medication valued at $37 also was stolen the day before. (The Chicago Tribune)
Far-left activist arrested trying to flee country days after bombshell TV investigative report (The Jerusalem Post)
Passengers flee burning Macon Transit Authority bus on Anthony Terrace (The Macon Telegraph)
Families fled into the street in their night clothes after seven houses were struck by lightning in a ferocious storm over Eastbourne, Sussex. (The Mirror)
A 41-year-old Sioux Falls man faces drug and fleeing police charges after an alleged chase with law enforcement. (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader)
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