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.
Pets: Pet owners like to dress up their pets as a pumpkin (10%), hot dog (6%), a bat (4%), ghost (3%) and bumblebee (3%). Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2024 The Morrison bumblebee, for example, has declined in relative abundance by 74 percent in the last decade. Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2024 Hidden in the back, Bluewater is small and unfussy with covered outdoor seating that’s surrounded by curtains of hanging vines and frequented by bumblebees flying among the tall stands of flowers. Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2024 Previous studies have found that honeybees, bumblebees and hummingbirds could pull pollen from flowers through the air with their electric charges. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Aug. 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 22 Nov. 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
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