bumblebee

noun

bum·​ble·​bee ˈbəm-bəl-ˌbē How to pronounce bumblebee (audio)
variants or less commonly bumble bee
: any of numerous large robust hairy social bees (genus Bombus)

Examples of bumblebee 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.
Have you folks ever heard the theory that bumblebees can’t fly aerodynamically? Chris Willman, Variety, 8 Oct. 2024 The tech is specific enough to register the wingbeat frequency and size of the insect, to make sure the drone chops down moths and not bumblebees. Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic, 14 Oct. 2024 The influence of stress on a bumblebee was unambiguous. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 9 Oct. 2024 Honeybees and bumblebees are used commercially to support billions of dollars of crop production annually. Claire Therese Hemingway, Discover Magazine, 28 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bumblebee 

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bumblebee was in 1530

Dictionary Entries Near bumblebee

Cite this Entry

“Bumblebee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bumblebee. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

bumblebee

noun
bum·​ble·​bee ˈbəm-bəl-ˌbē How to pronounce bumblebee (audio)
: any of numerous large hairy social bees

More from Merriam-Webster on bumblebee

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!