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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.

See Examples For:

bee-eater

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

Three bee-eater birds are believed to have made a historic return to the UK.

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2023

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