bee

1 of 4

noun (1)

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
beelike adjective

bee

2 of 4

noun (2)

: the letter b

bee

3 of 4

noun (3)

: a gathering of people for a specific purpose
a quilting bee

BEE

4 of 4

abbreviation

bachelor of electrical engineering
Phrases
bee in one's bonnet

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
Noun
And because of the bees' aggressive swarming behavior, you might be stung multiple times. Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 25 Sep. 2024 Thus, magnolia trees have a quite a few benefits for a backyard, not least of these being their fragrant blooms, which can attract pollinators like bees and other wildlife. Nina Malkin, Architectural Digest, 23 Sep. 2024 The fruit of the bees’ labor is, of course, very expensive. Jocelyn Silver, Vogue, 18 Sep. 2024 In a first-look preview clip exclusive to EW (above), boxes carrying the bees are seen tipping over in a truck accident and 911 call center dispatcher Josh (Bryan Safi) tells Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) that there are enough of the insects on the loose to kill 44 thousand people. Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 9 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bee 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bee.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English bēo; akin to Old High German bīa bee, Old Irish bech, Lithuanian bitis

Noun (3)

perhaps from English dialect been help given by neighbors, from Middle English bene prayer, boon, from Old English bēn prayer — more at boon entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1769, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bee was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near bee

Cite this Entry

“Bee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bee. Accessed 10 Oct. 2024.

Kids 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

More from Merriam-Webster on bee

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