bumblebee

Or bum·ble bee

[buhm-buhl-bee]

noun

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

bumblebee

/ ˈbʌmbəlˌbiː /

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of bumblebee¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of bumblebee¹

C16: from _bumble ² + _bee ¹

Example Sentences

Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have discovered that an insect, the bumblebee Bombus terrestris, can choose where to gather food by recognizing how long a visual signal lasts.

Read more on Science Daily

They rolled past the herd of cows, past clumps of wildflowers, past a quiet pond, past birds and field mice and bumblebees.

Read more on Literature

The estate is home to rare wildlife, including curlew, mountain bumblebees, lapwings, red squirrels, cuckoo and merlin, as well as Atlantic salmon and critically endangered eels, but the conservationists say nature could be richer still.

Read more on BBC

She also raised concerns over the environmental impact because honeybees in excessive numbers could outcompete bumblebees, solitary bees and butterflies.

Read more on BBC

They were lost within the rubble of their fire-ravaged home: loungewear, blanket, bumblebee sweater and beanie — all yellow, Tatum’s favorite color.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ant 
• aphid 
• bee 
• beetle 
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• gnat 
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• mite 
• mosquito 
• moth 
• pest 
• spider 
• termite 
• tick