Illustration of honeybee
- worker
- queen
- drone
honeybee
noun
hon·ey·bee
ˈhə-nē-ˌbē 
variants
or honey bee
: a honey-producing bee (genus Apis of the family Apidae)
especially
: a European bee (A. mellifera) introduced worldwide and kept in hives for the honey it produces
Examples of honeybee in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Plants are covered in white to purple blooms from mid-summer through fall, providing a buffet for honeybees, native bees, beetles, and butterflies.
—
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 29 Apr. 2025
Barrett cited a 2021 survey of American adults, which found that fifty-two to sixty-five per cent supported the notion that insects such as honeybees, ants, and termites were capable of feeling pain.
—Shayla Love, The New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2025
These happy honeybees have found a source of copious amounts of nectar from this furry explosion of fuzz and fringe.
—New York Times Games, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
Get The Recipe 10 of 10 Honeybee Cupcakes Springtime means the return of flowers—and honeybees!
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for honeybee
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.
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 29 Apr. 2025
Barrett cited a 2021 survey of American adults, which found that fifty-two to sixty-five per cent supported the notion that insects such as honeybees, ants, and termites were capable of feeling pain.
—Shayla Love, The New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2025
These happy honeybees have found a source of copious amounts of nectar from this furry explosion of fuzz and fringe.
—New York Times Games, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
Get The Recipe 10 of 10 Honeybee Cupcakes Springtime means the return of flowers—and honeybees!
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for honeybee
Cite this Entry
“Honeybee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/honeybee. Accessed 9 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
honeybee
noun
hon·ey·bee
-ˌbē
: a bee that produces honey and lives in colonies
especially
: a European bee widely kept in hives for the honey it produces
Medical Definition
honeybee
noun
hon·ey·bee
ˈhən-ē-ˌbē
: a honey-producing bee (Apis and related genera)
especially
: a European bee (A. mellifera) introduced worldwide and kept in hives for the honey it produces
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share