Fleas

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈfliːz/

Definitions

1. Tiny wingless parasites that thrive on the blood of warm-blooded animals and are known for their ability to jump between hosts
2. Small, blood-feeding insects characterized by their leaping capability and presence on mammals and birds, often leading to irritation
3. Minute parasitic insects that feed on the blood of mammals and birds and can jump long distances

Etymology: The insect's name is older than English itself. Its ancestors were already calling it something close to "flauh" in Proto-Germanic, and the same root gave Old English "flēa" and German "Floh." Scholars trace that root back further to a prehistoric form akin to the Proto-Indo-European "plus-," which also produced Latin "pulex," the source of the modern word "pulex" used in scientific naming. The plural has its own small surprise. Old English had a second plural, "flēan," which survived into Middle English as "fleen" or "flen." That older form has since dropped out of everyday use, leaving "fleas" as the ordinary plural, formed by adding the regular "-s" ending that most English nouns now take.

Synonyms: parasites, insects, pests