bumblebee
Americannoun
-
bumblebees
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
See Examples For:
The owl, bumblebee and hedgehog topped a public vote in their specific categories, and the puffin was included to celebrate marine life, the coastline and bring variety to the notes, the Bank said.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
Bumblebee Conservation Trust raised concerns that 2026 may exacerbate a declining trend in bumblebee populations as flowers wither and bees fail to forage effectively.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 11, 2026
I spent 30 years consulting with investment firms worldwide, like a bumblebee moving from flower to flower.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026
It also recorded bumblebee visits to investigate the impacts of heatwaves on foraging behaviour.
From BBC ● Apr. 28, 2026
A fairy with raven black hair and bumblebee wings approached the bowl.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
State wildlife officials have raised concerns about the potential impact of the quarry on bumblebees, desert bighorn sheep, golden eagles and other creatures.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
By contrast, bumblebees and hoverflies had struggled, the trust added.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
You may be spotting bodies of dead bumblebees lying across pavements near you in the summer months.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 29, 2026
The warning comes as Britain emerges from a third heatwave in as many months, with temperatures in the range where bumblebees can struggle to fly without overheating.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Hummingbirds, butterflies, and bumblebees had returned to the yard.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
