bumblebee

or bum·ble bee

[ buhm-buhl-bee ]

noun

1. any of several large, hairy social bees bee of the family Apidae.

bumblebee

/ ˈbʌmbəlˌbiː /

noun

1. any large hairy social bee of the genus Bombus and related genera, of temperate regions: family Apidae

Word History and Origins

Origin of bumblebee¹

First recorded in 1520–30; bumble ² + bee ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of bumblebee¹

C16: from bumble ² + bee ¹

Example Sentences

This past summer, my wife and I ventured to an area near Mount Adams in southwestern Washington state to census bumblebees.

From Nautilus

Survey participants choose a territory where they capture and photograph bumblebees on two occasions.

From Nautilus

When bumblebees snip little confetti-like bits out of a plant’s leaves, the bees can prompt a slowpoke plant to bloom early.

From Science News For Students

Then the researchers trapped the bumblebees with nonblooming plants.

From Science News For Students

Here’s a tip for bumblebees to get a slowpoke plant to bloom early.

From Science News For Students

But Buster Bumblebee—though he watched everything very closely—hadn't the slightest idea what they were doing.

From Project Gutenberg

But Buster Bumblebee did not find anything that really pleased him until he paused at a fat sugar-bowl.

From Project Gutenberg

And Buster Bumblebee had just made up his mind that the whole affair was very dull!

From Project Gutenberg

Whenever this merry musician played all alone like that Buster Bumblebee stayed close by him in order to hear better.

From Project Gutenberg

As soon as he had made up his mind on that point Buster Bumblebee blustered back to old dog Spot once more.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• ant
• aphid
• bee
• beetle
• butterfly
• cockroach
• dragonfly
• flea
• fruit fly
• gnat
• grasshopper
• ladybug
• mite
• mosquito
• moth
• pest
• spider
• termite
• tick