apiarist

American  

[ey-pee-uh-rist] / ˈeɪ pi ə rɪst /

noun

1. a person who keeps an apiary.

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apiarist British  

/ ˈeɪpɪərɪst /

noun

1. a person who studies or keeps bees

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Etymology

Origin of apiarist

First recorded in 1810–20; apiar(y) + -ist

Explanation

Apiarist is a fancy word for a beekeeper. An apiarist enjoys working with an unusual kind of pet, the honeybee. Because bees and other pollinators are so important to a healthy environment scientists encourage “bee-spotting” to improve fruits and vegetables. The -ist suffix is a Greek form that means “a person connected with.” So, a good apiarist is probably a strong environmentalist.

Example Sentences

According to the apiarist community, most bee thieves are actually just washed-up beekeepers making a last-ditch effort to save their businesses.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 13, 2021

Six years ago, Tucson native and sommelier Noel Patterson began amateur beekeeping after receiving a hive as a gift from a skilled local apiarist.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2021

Mike Hansen, the state apiarist who oversees commercial bee inspections, said unofficial estimates of the number of people in Michigan with beehives on rooftops and in backyards range from about 3,000 to 10,000.

From Washington Times • Mar. 26, 2018

His last play, Constellations, involved quantum mechanics and beekeeping, so he met cosmologists and an apiarist to get his facts straight.

From BBC • Aug. 4, 2013

They will, therefore, to use the picturesque expression of the apiarist, "ball "the queenly intruder; in other words, they will entirely surround her with their innumerable interlaced bodies.

From The Life of the Bee by Sutro, Alfred