# Why is it a "flea" market?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-a-flea-market/455662>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 8, 2008, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-a-flea-market/455662 "2008-07-08T05:28:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-a-flea-market/455662/1 "2008-07-08T05:28:04Z")

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Aside from the fact that some of the items sold may be infested, I suppose…

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**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-a-flea-market/455662/2 "2008-07-08T05:38:41Z")

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_Aside_ from that, there’s no reason … because that is indeed thought to be the origin of the term, per the [Oxford Dictionary](http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutwordorigins/flea).

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**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-a-flea-market/455662/3 "2008-07-08T05:56:58Z")

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:o Jeez. I thought I was joking.