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bee
(biː)
Word forms: plural bees
1. countable noun
A bee is an insect with a yellow-and-black striped body that makes a buzzing noise as it flies. Bees make honey, and can sting.
2.
See to have a bee in your bonnet
3. countable noun [usually noun NOUN]
A bee is a social event where people get together for a competition or to do something such as sew.
[US] That year I won first prize in the spelling bee.
...a group of friends at a quilting bee.
bee in British English 1
(biː)
noun
1.
any hymenopterous insect of the superfamily Apoidea, which includes social forms such as the honeybee and solitary forms such as the carpenter bee
See also bumblebee, mason bee ▶ Related adjective: apian2. busy bee
3. have a bee in one's bonnet
Word origin
Old English bīo; related to Old Norse bӯ, Old High German bīa, Dutch bij, Swedish bibee in British English 2
(biː)
noun
1.
a social gathering for a specific purpose, as to carry out a communal task or hold competitions
quilting bee
2. spelling bee
Word origin
C18: perhaps from dialect bean neighbourly help, from Old English bēn boonbee in British English 3
(biː)
noun
nautical
a small sheave with one cheek removed and the pulley and other cheek fastened flat to a boom or another spar, used for reeving outhauls or stays
Word origin
Old English bēag; related to Old High German boug ring, Old Norse bogi a bowBEE in British English
abbreviation for (in South Africa)
Black Economic Empowerment: a government policy aimed at encouraging and supporting shareholding by Black people
bee in American English 1
(bi)
noun
any of a large superfamily (Apoidea) of broad-bodied, four-winged, hairy hymenopteran insects that gather pollen and nectar, have biting as well as sucking mouthparts, and often live in organized colonies; esp., the honeybee
Idioms:
have a bee in one's bonnet
Word origin
ME < OE beo < IE base *bhei- > Ger biene, OPrus bitte, OIr bechbee in American English 2
(bi)
noun
US
a meeting of people to work together or to compete
a sewing bee, spelling bee
Word origin
altered (prob. after bee1) < dial bean, a social gathering to assist < ME bene, extra feudal service, a favor, boon < OE ben, compulsory service, request; akin to ON bon: see boon1bee in American English 3
(bi)
noun
Nautical
a piece of wood on each side of the bowsprit of a ship, used for fastening stays from the mast or foremast
: in full bee blockWord origin
ME bei, bracelet < OE beah < bugen, to bend: see bow1bee in American English 4
(bi)
noun
the letter B
More idioms containingbee
a busy bee
have a bee in your bonnet
Image ofbee
© Vitalii Hulai, shutterstock
Examples of 'bee' in a sentencebee
Word lists withbee
related adjectives, homes and habitations, ant, bee, waspIn other languagesbee
British English: bee /biː/ NOUN
A bee is an insect with a yellow-and-black striped body that makes a buzzing noise as it flies. Bees make honey.
A bee buzzed in the flowers.
- American English: bee
- Arabic: نَحْلَة
- Brazilian Portuguese: abelha
- Chinese: 蜜蜂
- Croatian: pčela
- Czech: včela
- Danish: bi
- Dutch: bij insect
- European Spanish: abeja
- Finnish: mehiläinen
- French: abeille
- German: Biene
- Greek: μέλισσα
- Italian: ape
- Japanese: ハチ 昆虫
- Korean: 벌
- Norwegian: bie
- Polish: pszczoła
- European Portuguese: abelha
- Romanian: albină
- Russian: пчела
- Latin American Spanish: abeja
- Swedish: bi
- Thai: ผึ้ง
- Turkish: arı
- Ukrainian: бджола
- Vietnamese: con ong
Chinese translation of 'bee'
bee
(biː)
n (c)
-
蜜蜂
(mìfēng) (只, zhī)to have a bee in one's bonnet (about sth)总(總)想着(著)(某事)
(zǒng xiǎngzhe (mǒushì))
related words
related adjective apian
collective nouns swarmgrist
name of home hiveapiary
related mania apimania
subject word lists
Synonyms of 'bee'
bee
Explore 'bee' in the dictionary