flea market

American  

noun

1. a market, often outdoors, consisting of a number of individual stalls selling old or used articles, curios and antiques, cut-rate merchandise, etc.

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flea market British  

noun

1. an open-air market selling cheap and often second-hand goods

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flea market Idioms  

1. A market, usually held outdoors, where used goods and antiques are sold. For example, We picked up half of our furniture at flea markets. The term is a direct translation of the French marché aux puces and presumably implies that some of the used clothes and furniture might be flea-infested. [1920s]

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Other Word Forms

• flea-marketeer
  noun
• flea-marketer
  noun

Etymology

Origin of flea market

First recorded in 1920–25

Compare meaning

How does flea-market compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• swap meet vs. flea market

Example Sentences

She got hers from a flea market, but it has becoming ever easier to buy knockoff furniture and home goods online.

From Barron's • Nov. 25, 2025

Whether she chooses to stay in Franklin Hills for the rest of her life or packs up everything tomorrow, she’ll always keep an eye out for hidden gems — just like at the flea market.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 13, 2025

We go somewhere, maybe a crowded house party or a flea market, and someone strikes up a conversation.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 8, 2025

Sometimes, he said, he would join Alanís Garcia at the Oxnard Sunday flea market to walk around and pass the time.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 22, 2025

“Does anybody at the flea market actually sell fleas?”

From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds