beehive

noun

bee·​hive ˈbē-ˌhīv How to pronounce beehive (audio)
plural beehives
Synonyms of beehivenext
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In 2023 Armonía provided 60 beehives to 30 families in six communities. Brianna Randall, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026 The story set in a synthetic apiary concerns a lab team (Michelle Caravia, Adelaida Martinez and Milena Sellers Phillips, with Nio Russell playing multiple volunteers) in the not-too-distant future trying to preserve one of the last remaining beehives on the planet. David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026 Avocado orchards are gone and beehives destroyed. Josiane Yazbeck, The Conversation, 22 Jan. 2026 The beehive is one of the closest clusters to Earth (approximately 600 light-years away) and one of the youngest (around 600 to 700 million years old). Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 13 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beehive

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of beehive was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beehive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beehive. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

beehive

1 of 2 noun
bee·​hive
ˈbē-ˌhīv
1
2
: hive entry 1 sense 2
a beehive of activity

beehive

2 of 2 adjective
: resembling a dome-shaped beehive

More from Merriam-Webster on beehive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster