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.
The only time the family has been looted was in 2025, when a bear came into the yard and upturned the beehives. Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 10 Apr. 2026 The late Amy Winehouse — and her famous beehive in all its glory — hung out with Danny DeVito at the Empire Polo Field in 2009. Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026 Back in present-day Gilead, this girl who used to live out loud and in color is in her all-white skirt suit, tending to the Aunts’ beehives and cleaning their rooms and serving them their breakfasts. Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026 The actress, who's appeared in five previous seasons of the anthology, is sporting a retro beehive, a blue dress, and black heels. Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Apr. 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 13 Apr. 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

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