How to pronounce flea
Say it like FLEE. Flea is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce flea. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FLEE
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Flea pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FLEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of flea
American and British speakers say flea in essentially the same way: /fli/ in the US and /fliː/ in the UK.
British respelling: FLEE.
What does flea mean?
- A small, wingless, parasitic insect of the order Siphonaptera, renowned for its bloodsucking habits and jumping abilities.
- To remove fleas from (an animal).
Where does flea come from?
The archaic plural fleen is from Middle English fleen, flen, from Old English flēan (“fleas”).
Words that rhyme with flea
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of flea.
Words that sound like flea
Questions about saying flea
How do you pronounce flea?
Say FLEE. The American pronunciation is /fli/. In British English it is /fliː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in flea?
Flea is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: FLEE.
Do Americans and Brits say flea the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /fli/ and the British form is /fliː/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as flea?
Flea sounds the same as flee in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.