flea market

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.

flea market

noun

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

Other Words From

• flea-market·er flea-mar·ket·eer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of flea market¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Idioms and Phrases

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]

Example Sentences

I grew up in New York and there was a Caldor that had a Sunday flea market.

From The Daily Beast

Six months after he arrived in Paris, he found another high-wheeled bicycle in a flea market and bought that too.

From The Daily Beast

With its famous flea market and cute shops, Eastern Market has always been a popular stop on the weekend.

From The Daily Beast

It's a very cozy place, and the dining area is furnished with flea-market furniture from the '60s and '70s.

From The Daily Beast

A deputy said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder at the flea market and the ride.

From Project Gutenberg

The third was outside of San Francisco, in a gigantic ghost-mall that was already being used as a flea-market.

From Project Gutenberg

He bossed a low-budget tourist attraction and he ran a pirate flea-market.

From Project Gutenberg