apiculture

American  

[ey-pi-kuhl-cher] / ˈeɪ pɪˌkʌl tʃər /

noun

1. beekeeping, especially on a commercial scale for the sale of honey.

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apiculture British  

/ ˈeɪpɪˌkʌltʃə /

noun

1. the breeding and care of bees

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Other Word Forms

• apicultural
  adjective
• apiculturist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of apiculture

1860–65; < Latin api ( s ) bee + culture

Explanation

Apiculture is the practice of keeping bees as well as the manufacturing of honey and beeswax. Winnie-the-Pooh would have been thrilled to have a neighbor into apiculture, or the tending of bees and their honey. The practice dates back tens of thousands of years, and among the famous beekeepers in history were the Roman poet Vergil; the drafter of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson; and the boxer Muhammad Ali. The heavyweight Ali must have known how to bee-have, so he could “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”!

Example Sentences

Dipping a pedicured toe into apiculture feels like the next logical step and is typical of the lifestyle programming “With Love, Meghan” recreates.

From Salon • Mar. 5, 2025

The rise of apiculture and cheap, easily available alternative sweeteners have caused demand for wild honey drop, according to Wood.

From National Geographic • Jan. 17, 2024

Francis Ratnieks, a professor of apiculture at the University of Sussex, said that a recent stretch of sunny, drier days in Britain had created optimal conditions for honeybee colonies to split off.

From New York Times • May 31, 2023

This record of their work is likely to have lasting implications for our understanding of bees, their roles in ecosystems and the future of apiculture.

From Washington Post • Feb. 4, 2022

The next thing in order, after purchasing bees, should be a good standard work on apiculture; and study it well.

From Prairie Farmer, Vol. 56: No. 1, January 5, 1884. A Weekly Journal for the Farm, Orchard and Fireside by Various