beehive

noun

bee·​hive ˈbē-ˌhīv 

plural beehives

1

: hive sense 1

In the spring, two young grizzly bears, just out of a winter's sleep, … knocked over a half-dozen commercial beehives and fed on the honey and larvae within.

—Jim Robbins

2

: something resembling a hive for bees: such as

a

: a scene of crowded activity

… a beehive of growling trucks, riverboats laden with supplies, helicopters and airplanes buzzing overhead …

—National Geographic

b

: a woman's hairstyle that is conical in shape

She is about sixty-five with hair white as spun sugar, piled up in a beehive hairdo that has been out of style for twenty years.

—W. P. Kinsella

beehive adjective

Examples of beehive in a Sentence

The office was a beehive of activity.

wearing her hair in a beehive

Recent Examples on the Web

Herb and vegetable gardens, fruit trees, wine grapes and beehives add an agrarian dimension. — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 19 Sep. 2026

Villagers describe losing orchards, tobacco fields and beehives along with their houses, accusing Lebanon’s government of abandoning them as Israel entrenches its military presence in southern Lebanon. — Fadi Tawil, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

The invasive yellow-legged hornet is posing a serious threat to beehives in coastal Georgia and South Carolina. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 9 Sep. 2026

Walking paths thread through the lavender fields, which are dotted with 40 beehives—home to the two million bees that produce the estate's honey. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing beehive

• beehive oven

Rhymes for beehive

• alive
• archive
• arrive
• connive
• contrive
• deprive
• derive
• khedive
• revive
• survive
• dive
• drive

Kids Definition

beehive

1 of 2 noun

bee·​hive

ˈbē-ˌhīv

1

: hive entry 1 sense 1

2

: hive entry 1 sense 2

a beehive of activity

beehive

2 of 2 adjective

: resembling a dome-shaped beehive