Illustration of honeybee
- worker
- queen
- drone
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
Between 2016 and 2024, researchers conducted a series of experiments with freely flying honeybees.
—
Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 11 Jan. 2026
Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig is proposing a state-level Farm Bill with provisions that range from exempting sales tax on honeybee purchases to strengthening local food programs to changing some truck weight requirements.
—Donnelle Eller, Des Moines Register, 8 Jan. 2026
Like honeybees and red wolves, the population of American readers, Lector americanus, has been declining for decades.
—Adam Kirsch, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2026
My wife and daughter are going to get a smoothie called the honeybee, which is very sweet and delicious.
—Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Honeybee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/honeybee. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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
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