Fleabites

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A term used to describe small, itchy welts caused by the bites of fleas on the skin; these irritated spots can cause discomfort and may lead to further scratching; they often appear in clusters and can be mistaken for other insect bites
2. Describing the irritating red bumps that result from flea bites, which are often itchy and can become inflamed; they typically occur on people or animals with exposure to fleas; frequent scratching may lead to secondary infections
3. Referring to the tiny, bothersome lesions caused by the feeding of fleas, which can lead to localized itching and irritation; these bites usually affect areas where skin is exposed and may lead to allergic reactions in sensitive individuals

Etymology: "Fleabites" is the plural of "fleabite," a compound of two plain English words: "flea" and "bite." Nothing about its formation is hidden; it names the small red marks left when a flea feeds on the skin, and it has been used in that literal sense for as long as the two parts have existed side by side. The word's real interest lies in how it is used. Because a flea bite is tiny and quickly forgotten, "fleabite" came to stand for anything trivial or negligible, and the plural is often used this way in ordinary speech, as in "a few fleabites" for minor setbacks. The medical sense described here, the itchy inflamed bump that can become infected when scratched, is the original and more literal meaning, with the figurative sense growing from the same small, irritating picture.

Synonyms: insect bites, irritations