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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
But a new study shows that honeybees from a species native to Japan have developed a unique defensive strategy: slapping.
—Gennaro Tomma, Scientific American, 26 July 2024
But already, their findings could open the door for doctors to one day use honeybees as diagnostic tools.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2024
Being relatively big and covered in black-and-yellow fuzz allows the world’s roughly 250 bumblebee species to withstand more frigid temperatures than honeybees, which are generally daintier and less hairy, and are not native to North America.
—Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2024
The main problem is the varroa mite, which jumped from the Asian honeybee to the Western honeybee, which was imported from Europe to North American in the 1600s.
—Ed Stannard, Hartford Courant, 6 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for honeybee
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'honeybee.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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 18 Oct. 2024.
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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