1
: any of numerous hymenopterous insects (superfamily Apoidea) that differ from the related wasps especially in the heavier hairier body and in having sucking as well as chewing mouthparts, that feed on pollen and nectar, and that store both and often also honey see africanized bee, bumblebee, carpenter bee, honeybee, sweat bee
2
: an eccentric notion : fancy
: the letter b
: a gathering of people for a specific purpose
a quilting bee
bachelor of electrical engineering
Examples of bee in a Sentence
Noun (1)
she got a sudden bee to quit her job and move to South Carolina
Recent Examples on the Web
Stephen Smith, CBS News, 10 June 2025
The granola bowl is topped with honey from the farm’s bees; the team uses beef from French Broad River Cattle Farms in nearby Etowah; and, when in season, many of the vegetables featured on the menu are harvested from The Horse Shoe Farm gardens.
—Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 8 June 2025
Creeping thyme forms a dense, low-mat of foliage and produces pinkish-purple flowers that bees can't resist.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 June 2025
Spatial Dynamics of Homicide in Medieval English Cities: The Medieval Murder Map Project
A graduate of UW-Whitewater, Monica Cull wrote for several organizations, including one that focused on bees and the natural world, before coming to Discover Magazine.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bee
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Noun
Suiter added that people who have adverse reactions to bee and ant stings are especially vulnerable and could go into anaphylactic shock from the needle ant's sting.
—Stephen Smith, CBS News, 10 June 2025
The granola bowl is topped with honey from the farm’s bees; the team uses beef from French Broad River Cattle Farms in nearby Etowah; and, when in season, many of the vegetables featured on the menu are harvested from The Horse Shoe Farm gardens.
—Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 8 June 2025
Creeping thyme forms a dense, low-mat of foliage and produces pinkish-purple flowers that bees can't resist.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 June 2025
Spatial Dynamics of Homicide in Medieval English Cities: The Medieval Murder Map Project
A graduate of UW-Whitewater, Monica Cull wrote for several organizations, including one that focused on bees and the natural world, before coming to Discover Magazine.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bee
Cite this Entry
“Bee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bee. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bee
1 of 2 noun
: any of numerous insects (as the honeybees and bumblebees) that feed on pollen and nectar and sometimes produce honey and that differ from the wasps especially in the heavier hairier body and in having sucking as well as chewing mouthparts
bee
2 of 2 noun
: a gathering of people for a specific purpose
a quilting bee
Etymology
Noun
Old English bēo "bee"
Noun
perhaps from a dialect word been "help given by neighbors," derived from Old English bēn "prayer"
Medical Definition
bee
noun
: honeybee
broadly
: any of numerous hymenopteran insects (superfamily Apoidea) that differ from the related wasps especially in the heavier hairier body and in having sucking as well as chewing mouthparts, that feed on pollen and nectar, and that store both and often also honey see africanized bee
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