1
: any of numerous hymenopterous insects (superfamily Apoidea) that differ from the related wasps especially in the heavier hairier body and in having sucking as well as chewing mouthparts, that feed on pollen and nectar, and that store both and often also honey see africanized bee, bumblebee, carpenter bee, honeybee, sweat bee
2
: an eccentric notion : fancy
: the letter b
: a gathering of people for a specific purpose
a quilting bee
bachelor of electrical engineering
Examples of bee in a Sentence
Noun (1)
she got a sudden bee to quit her job and move to South Carolina
Recent Examples on the Web
Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 18 Mar. 2025
This 19-inch style packs a springtime punch with its dense collection of peach, yellow, and red tulips—more than 240 bright, plump blossoms which shoppers say neighbors (and even bees) mistake for real blooms.
—Miles Walls, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Mar. 2025
Listen to this article An Aurora seventh grader achieved a scholastic twofer last week, winning Denver’s regional science fair and the Colorado state spelling bee in a six-day span.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, The Denver Post, 13 Mar. 2025
Learn about Florida-Friendly Landscaping principles, smart irrigation, vegetable gardening, and flower species to attract bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects.
—Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bee
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Noun
The mixology team is hard at work infusing, distilling, and dehydrating seasonal ingredients, including rare honey produced by stingless bees endemic to Costa Rica.
—Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 18 Mar. 2025
This 19-inch style packs a springtime punch with its dense collection of peach, yellow, and red tulips—more than 240 bright, plump blossoms which shoppers say neighbors (and even bees) mistake for real blooms.
—Miles Walls, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Mar. 2025
Listen to this article An Aurora seventh grader achieved a scholastic twofer last week, winning Denver’s regional science fair and the Colorado state spelling bee in a six-day span.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, The Denver Post, 13 Mar. 2025
Learn about Florida-Friendly Landscaping principles, smart irrigation, vegetable gardening, and flower species to attract bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects.
—Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bee
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Cite this Entry
“Bee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bee. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bee
1 of 2 noun
: any of numerous insects (as the honeybees and bumblebees) that feed on pollen and nectar and sometimes produce honey and that differ from the wasps especially in the heavier hairier body and in having sucking as well as chewing mouthparts
bee
2 of 2 noun
: a gathering of people for a specific purpose
a quilting bee
Etymology
Noun
Old English bēo "bee"
Noun
perhaps from a dialect word been "help given by neighbors," derived from Old English bēn "prayer"
Medical Definition
bee
noun
: honeybee
broadly
: any of numerous hymenopteran insects (superfamily Apoidea) that differ from the related wasps especially in the heavier hairier body and in having sucking as well as chewing mouthparts, that feed on pollen and nectar, and that store both and often also honey see africanized bee
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