Because of the formal similarities with flete1,
flod and
flote1, some confusion between these four words must have existed already in medieval times. The word flete seems to be Germanic in origin.
s.
1coll.ship.fleet, a number of vessels under a single command:
(
1354; MS: c.1360
)
estre admyrail d'une grant flete (var. (C: s.xivex) flote)93
(
1415
)
les mestres des niefs, presentz en le dit fleete a temps de tiel assaut des carrekkes fait
iv 86
flete2 (1354)