hive

noun \ ˈhīv \

|Updated on: 17 Jun 2018

Examples: hive in a Sentence

Definition of hive

1 a : a container for housing honeybees

b : the usually aboveground nest of bees

2 : a colony of bees

3 : a place swarming with activity

—

hiveless

play \ˈhīv-ləs\ adjective

See hive defined for English-language learners

See hive defined for kids

Examples of hive in a Sentence

The house was a hive of activity as we prepared for the party.

Recent Examples of hive from the Web

The 2018 World Cup opens Thursday in Russia, and the buzz here seems more akin to a honey bee hovering over a daisy than a hive of wasps.

— mark zeigler, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Your guide to the World Cup you forgot was happening," 13 June 2018
Inside a hive of more than 60 NYPD officers and detectives are gearing up to make a series of major arrests that reflect the department’s new approach to crime.

— stephanie gosk, NBC News, "After stop and frisk, the NYPD reinvents policing yet again," 13 May 2018
Most are social animals who live in vast hives of workers who must constantly communicate with each other to gather food, care for young, and build their nests.

— annalee newitz, Ars Technica, "Bay Area: Join us 5/9 to talk about getting those ants out of your house," 7 May 2018
Other money managers have also relocated staff to smaller, lower-wage cities that are emerging as unlikely hives of finance.

— sarah krouse, WSJ, "Large New York Money Manager AllianceBernstein Is Moving to Nashville," 1 May 2018
Children can present with different type of rashes including eczema and allergic manifestations, such as hives.

— gabriela moraru, m.d., miamiherald, "My child has a rash! What should I do? | Miami Herald," 1 May 2018
Scientists have been studying a worrying phenomenon called colony collapse disorder for more than a decade, after beekeepers began reporting that their worker bees in hives were suddenly vanishing.

— scott berson, charlotteobserver, "Bees keep dying. Walmart wants to replace them with swarms of tiny robots | Charlotte Observer," 27 Mar. 2018
The demonstrations marked Humboldt as a hive of environmental activism.

— scott wilson, Washington Post, "Outlaw weed comes into the light," 16 Mar. 2018
That new chemical peel made your face break out in hives?

— allie briggs, refinery29.com, "Turns Out, There Is A Limit To Sephora's Return Policy," 15 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of hive

Middle English, from Old English hȳf; perhaps akin to Old Norse hūfr ship's hull, Latin cūpa tub, Sanskrit kūpa cave

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

hive

verb

Definition of hive

hived; hiving

intransitive verb

1 of bees : to enter and take possession of a hive

2 : to reside in close association

transitive verb

1 : to collect into a hive

2 : to store up in or as if in a hive

See hive defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of hive from the Web

Urban donates the honey from the Let's Grown Akron hives to sell at the farmers market to support the organization and provide a healthy sugar alternative.

— megan becka, cleveland.com, "Urban Honey Bee thrives thanks to Akron business partnerships," 2 Apr. 2018
Instead what is most often advocated is hiving off as much political life as possible from the influence of ignorant voters and giving it to experts instead.

— sheri berman, Washington Post, "Some argue that the West should limit democracy to save liberalism. Here’s why they’re wrong.," 18 July 2017
Southern drug store chain Fred’s, which had stood to gain national scale by buying the stores that Walgreens was hiving off to satisfy possible antitrust concerns, also fell 22%.

— alan murray, Fortune, "CEO Daily: Friday, 30th June," 30 June 2017
Starboard Value LP took a stake and called on Macy’s to hive off its valuable real estate, which the activist investor says is worth more than $20 billion.

— dow jones news service, Twin Cities, "Saks owner Hudson’s Bay makes takeover approach to Macy’s," 3 Feb. 2017