bee-eater

American

[bee-ee-ter] / ˈbiˌi tər /

noun

any of several colorful birds of the family Meropidae, of the Old World tropics, that feed on bees and other insects.

bee-eater British

noun

any insectivorous bird of the family Meropidae of tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World, having a long downward-curving bill and long pointed wings and tail: order Coraciiformes (kingfishers, etc)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of bee-eater

First recorded in 1660–70

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.

There could also be some sightings of rare visitors such as the exotic European bee-eater, which have recently begun nesting in the UK.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2025

This year, bee-eater chicks hatched in a Norfolk quarry - they are usually found in the southern Mediterranean and northern Africa.

From BBC • Nov. 11, 2022

The Zoo A snow leopard rescued from Pakistan is having trouble eating because of a broken tooth, while the bird department tries to restore a beehive for the bee-eater birds, in this new episode.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2017

Eyes closed and wings tucked, the colorful bee-eater seemed to be sleeping in his hands.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2015

The bee-eater utilises the bill as pickaxe and the feet as ejectors.

From A Bird Calendar for Northern India by Dewar, Douglas

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023