honeybee

noun

hon·​ey·​bee ˈhə-nē-ˌbē 

variants or honey bee

: a honey-producing bee (genus Apis of the family Apidae)

especially : a European bee (A. mellifera) introduced worldwide and kept in hives for the honey it produces

Illustration of honeybee

• worker
• queen
• drone

Examples of honeybee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Millions of honeybees escaped into a rural Texas neighborhood after a semitrailer carrying about 400 hives tipped over, officials said. — CBS News, 23 June 2026

Herbicides also harm honeybees, butterflies, and other pollinators through direct contact and/or through long-term impacts on reproduction and development. — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 14 June 2026

Neem oil is safe for honeybees and other beneficial insects. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 11 June 2026

Like a honeybee leaving its hive for the first time, the drone begins with a short learning flight around its home. — New Atlas, 8 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for honeybee

• agree
• allee
• banshee
• beastly
• bibi
• bowsprit
• carefree
• cerci
• chablis
• cowpea
• crappie
• crappy

Kids Definition

honeybee

noun

hon·​ey·​bee -ˌbē 

: a bee that produces honey and lives in colonies

especially : a European bee widely kept in hives for the honey it produces

Medical Definition

honeybee

noun

hon·​ey·​bee ˈhən-ē-ˌbē 

: a honey-producing bee (Apis and related genera)

especially : a European bee (A. mellifera) introduced worldwide and kept in hives for the honey it produces