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

Illustration of honeybee

• worker
• queen
• drone

Examples of honeybee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Their stingers deliver as much venom as a snake or seven times that of a honeybee. —Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Dec. 2024

The insects are also a threat to humans, as their sting is more dangerous than a honeybee’s, officials said. —Rebecca Cohen, NBC News, 19 Dec. 2024

Their honey production also invests in the local ecology of the land to support the long-term Pacific Northwest honeybee population. —Esha Chhabra, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024

Researchers in Germany studying the social behaviors of honeybee colonies found that DNA can predetermine certain behaviors. —William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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