bumblebee

noun

bum·​ble·​bee ˈbəm-bəl-ˌbē How to pronounce bumblebee (audio)
variants or less commonly bumble bee
: any of numerous large robust hairy social bees (genus Bombus)

Examples of bumblebee in a Sentence

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 easiest way to tell a carpenter bee from a bumblebee is their hair—or lack thereof. Katie Akin, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2025 Consider one that’s an early source of pollen for bumblebees (dandelions) or another that’s the host plants for hummingbird clearwing moths and snowberry clearwing moths (bush honeysuckle). Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2025 Other bumble bee species include the larger Sonoran bumble bee, the California bumblebee and Crotch’s bumble bee. Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 June 2025 Goodies included a miniature version of Jack Black’s character in the movie, expert crafter Steve and a bumblebee straight out of the game. Raven Brunner, People.com, 14 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for bumblebee

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bumblebee was in 1530

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bumblebee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bumblebee. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

bumblebee

noun
bum·​ble·​bee ˈbəm-bəl-ˌbē How to pronounce bumblebee (audio)
: any of numerous large hairy social bees

More from Merriam-Webster on bumblebee

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!