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
New research reveals that the honeybees responsible for crafting the queen's home effectively run a fever to help melt and blend special chemicals into the wax.
—
ABC News, 3 June 2026
Swarming is how honeybees propagate, Fine explained.
—Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 3 June 2026
Watermelon plants produce separate male and female flowers, and require pollination by honeybees, native bees, and other pollinators.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 31 May 2026
Like honeybees, carpenter bees are classified as generalist pollinators, meaning their pollination efforts are not restricted to specific plants, says Emma Grace Crumbley, an entomologist at Mosquito Squad Plus.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 30 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for honeybee
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ABC News, 3 June 2026
Swarming is how honeybees propagate, Fine explained.
—Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 3 June 2026
Watermelon plants produce separate male and female flowers, and require pollination by honeybees, native bees, and other pollinators.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 31 May 2026
Like honeybees, carpenter bees are classified as generalist pollinators, meaning their pollination efforts are not restricted to specific plants, says Emma Grace Crumbley, an entomologist at Mosquito Squad Plus.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 30 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for honeybee
Cite this Entry
“Honeybee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/honeybee. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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
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