bumblebee
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of bumblebee
Explanation
A bumblebee is a large, flying insect that pollenates flowers. Bumblebees are fatter and fuzzier than honeybees. They may look cute, but they can still sting you. A bumblebee is a completely different species than a honeybee, though it does make honey. Bumblebees produce honey in much smaller quantities, and it isn't harvested and eaten by people. Bumblebees also live in smaller groups, of up to four hundred bees, compared to honeybees' hives that have as many as 60,000 bees. In some places, they're called humblebees, from the Middle English humbul-be, which echoes the "hum" of a bee.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Napatree makes Bumblebee and Hornet drones, ModalAI makes the Stinger drone, and Auterion demonstrated swarm technology.
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
When Musk returned to the stage a year later, he demoed a prototype called Bumblebee, with visible wires and actuators.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 3, 2026
Also present: costumes for the “Halo” series, a full-scale Bumblebee from the “Transformers” films and mushrooms and an “egg mobile” from the “Sonic the Hedgehog” movies.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 29, 2024
The operation targeted malware “droppers” called IcedID, Pikabot, Smokeloader, Bumblebee and Trickbot.
From Seattle Times • May 29, 2024
Another white church in Bumblebee sent a couple of boxes of goods, as well as both Negro churches in Bumblebee, and even one in Spindale.
From "Stella by Starlight" by Sharon M. Draper
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
