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
see also:
: 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
Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Plants produce large, rounded flowerheads from late summer to fall in sparkling pink, purple, and rose-red hues, providing a late season source of nectar to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 10 May 2026
Read on for favorite full-sun annuals with bright blooms that will welcome pollinators like bees and butterflies to your garden.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 9 May 2026
Carpenter bees tunnel into wood to create nests, which can lead to costly structural damage over time.
—Asia London Palomba, The Spruce, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bee
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Noun
The chiles are red as blood and dealt out by the fistful, along with those innocent-looking husks of Sichuan peppercorns that sting like bees.
—Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Plants produce large, rounded flowerheads from late summer to fall in sparkling pink, purple, and rose-red hues, providing a late season source of nectar to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 10 May 2026
Read on for favorite full-sun annuals with bright blooms that will welcome pollinators like bees and butterflies to your garden.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 9 May 2026
Carpenter bees tunnel into wood to create nests, which can lead to costly structural damage over time.
—Asia London Palomba, The Spruce, 9 May 2026
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 May. 2026.
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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