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Synonyms

bumblebee

American  
[buhm-buhl-bee] / ˈbʌm bəlˌbi /
Or bumble bee

noun

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

bumblebee British  
/ ˈbʌmbəlˌbiː /

noun

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

"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 bumblebee

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

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.

"I've recorded 18 out of the 24 bumblebee species in the UK here," the insect research scientist said - "it's a really, really special place."

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

In bumblebee colonies across Europe, we found an average of eight, and up to 27, distinct pesticide compounds.

From Salon • May 14, 2024

Decline of the rusty-patched bumblebee could be a harbinger of die-offs of other species that were once common.

From Science Daily • Apr. 4, 2024

The floor, the railings and even the paper in the beekeepers’ desktop inboxes are bumblebee yellow.

From New York Times • Feb. 13, 2024

I spread my fingers and my hand looked like a yellowbacks bumblebee, bright yellow with black stripes.

From "Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis

Definitions 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.