hive

1 of 2

noun

ˈhīv 

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

ˈhīv-ləs 

adjective

hive

2 of 2

verb

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

Examples of hive in a Sentence

Noun

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Fifteen years ago, the beekeeper inherited two hives from his grandfather in Alaverdi. —Marlise Kast-Myers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026

Eric Richins reportedly broke out in hives and struggled to breathe after eating the sandwich, used his son’s EpiPen and took Benadryl before falling asleep for hours. —Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 7 Feb. 2026

According to Food Allergy Research & Education, allergic reactions to soy are typically mild and produce symptoms such as hives, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and itching, but reactions can be unpredictable. —Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026

Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers are the worker bees of academia, toiling in labs for years in hopes of one day running their own hive. —Jonathan Wosen, STAT, 4 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing hive

• hive mind
• hive off

Rhymes for hive

• dive
• drive
• five
• jive
• live
• strive
• thrive
• alive
• archive
• arrive
• beehive
• connive

Kids Definition

hive

1 of 2 noun

ˈhīv 

1

a

: a container for housing honeybees

b

: the usually aboveground nest of bees

c

: a colony of bees

2

: a place swarming with busy occupants

hive

2 of 2 verb

hived; hiving

1

a

: to collect into a hive

hive bees

b

: to enter and take over a hive or nesting place

2

: to live or gather in close association

Medical Definition

hive

noun

ˈhīv 

: the raised edematous red patch of skin or mucous membrane characteristic of hives : an urticarial wheal