bumblebee

noun

bum·​ble·​bee ˈbəm-bəl-ˌbē 

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

These plants are crucial to pollinators such as native bumblebees that rely on early food sources in spring. —Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026

Programs like the University of Illinois Chicago’s nationwide agreements for monarch butterflies and bumblebees help companies reduce regulatory delays and help conserve endangered and declining species at the same time. —Dan Salas, The Conversation, 28 Mar. 2026

To round out the Mary Kay sensibility—beauty without eros—big earners received diamond bumblebee pins, golden goblets, and birthstone rings. —Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026

Fragrant blooms open spring, summer, and fall, drawing bumblebees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to the garden. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bumblebee

• agree
• allee
• banshee
• beastly
• bibi
• bowsprit
• carefree
• cerci
• chablis
• cowpea
• crappie
• crappy

Kids Definition

bumblebee

noun

bum·​ble·​bee ˈbəm-bəl-ˌbē 

: any of numerous large hairy social bees