NYT Dictionary

FLEA

/ˈfliː/
NounVerbFLEAflea · 1 syllableGrade 4

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

Meaning

A small, wingless, parasitic insect of the order Siphonaptera, renowned for its bloodsucking habits and jumping abilities.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

From Middle English fle, from Old English flēah, flēa, from Proto-West Germanic *flauh, from Proto-Germanic *flauhaz (compare West Frisian flie, Low German Flo, Flö, Dutch vlo, German Floh, Icelandic fló), from pre-Germanic *plóukos, *plówkos, from or akin to Proto-Indo-European *plus- (compare Latin pulex, Sanskrit प्लुषि (plúṣi)). The archaic plural fleen is from Middle English fleen, flen, from Old English flēan (“fleas”).

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

defleacrabbuckjumperchigoecockroachfroggazellegoatgrasshoppergrayback

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 10 recorded puzzles:

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