Meaning:
A flea market is a place where goods are sold or traded. It’s typically located outside.
Example: I’m in need of some new clothes. I know there is a flea market in town, so maybe I’ll go there to see if I can find any cheap deals on some nice clothes.
1. Farmer’s market
2. Flea fair
3. Garage sale
The Origin Of ‘Flea Market’
A flea market is a place where things are sold. People go to these markets to exchange goods, either by buying, selling, or bartering. Usually, these places have a wide variety of items available, such as fresh food, worn clothes, furniture, and more.
But why is it called a “flea” market? Well, oftentimes these markets are located outdoors in large fields. Being outside makes it more likely for little insects like fleas to be around. The fleas are not there to jump on any good deals they see, but they might jump onto the items being sold and the people who are attending.
According to Wikipedia, one of the theories as to where this phrase originates from is the French ‘marché aux puces’, which literally translates to ‘market where one acquires fleas.’
One of the oldest and most popular flea markets is located in Paris, France, and it has held the name Les Marché aux Puces (The Flea Market) since around the 1870s. Thus the term is at least that old!
Anyway… is anyone else itchy? *scratches*
Example Sentences
- There’s a flea market currently being set up downtown, so after it’s finished, I plan on going to see what they have.
- We have a lot of junk taking up space in our garage. I’ll stop by the flea market tomorrow to see if I can trade some of it away.
Tip: Do you want to read about more common phrases? If so, this website has exactly that! You can see the full list of expressions on here, sorted alphabetically, by using the menu up at the top.