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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
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
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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
Articles Related to honeybee
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
: 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
More from Merriam-Webster on honeybee
Nglish: Translation of honeybee for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about honeybee
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