honeybee

noun

hon·​ey·​bee ˈhə-nē-ˌbē How to pronounce honeybee (audio)
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

Illustration of honeybee

Illustration of honeybee
  • worker
  • queen
  • drone

Examples of honeybee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Researchers in Germany studying the social behaviors of honeybee colonies found that DNA can predetermine certain behaviors. William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025 Even better, the researchers at GreenLight Biosciences combed through bioinformatic databases to find just the right gene to disrupt to avoid collateral damage to honeybees and other harmless species. Andrew Rosenblum, Popular Science, 26 Dec. 2024 The hornet is a threat to the honeybee and other insects, with the ability to kill entire honeybee colonies in 90 minuets. James Powel, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024 With honeybees, for example, some bees held off on reproducing their own offspring in order to support the hives’ young. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 13 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for honeybee 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of honeybee was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near honeybee

Cite this Entry

“Honeybee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/honeybee. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

honeybee

noun
hon·​ey·​bee -ˌbē How to pronounce honeybee (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce honeybee (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on honeybee

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