honeybee

American  

[huhn-ee-bee] / ˈhʌn iˌbi /

Or honey bee

noun

1. any bee that collects and stores honey, especially Apis mellifera.

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honeybee British  

/ ˈhʌnɪˌbiː /

noun

1. Also called: hive bee.  any of various social honey-producing bees of the genus Apis, esp A. mellifera, which has been widely domesticated as a source of honey and beeswax

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Etymology

Origin of honeybee

First recorded in 1560–70; honey + bee ¹

Explanation

Honeybees are the winged insects that beekeepers like best, because they naturally produce extra honey and can be raised to produce the sweet, sticky stuff. Honeybees, as their name implies, make a lot of honey, storing surplus amounts in their waxy hives. Humans have domesticated two species of honeybee, raising them for the extra honey they produce. You can tell the difference between a bumblebee, which is native to North America, and a honeybee, native to Africa, Asia, and Europe, by comparing their bodies. Honeybees are slim, with a distinct head, while bumblebees are fat and fuzzy.

Example Sentences

The tree shrew had the highest intake at 1.4 g/kg/day, while the honeybee had the lowest at 0.05 g/kg/day.

From Science Daily • Mar. 25, 2026

My wife and daughter are going to get a smoothie called the honeybee, which is very sweet and delicious.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 2, 2026

Scientists have developed a honeybee "superfood" that could protect the animals against the threats of climate change and habitat loss.

From BBC • Aug. 20, 2025

Much of the movement to "save the bees" in the U.S. has been focused on a single species: Apis mellifera, the European honeybee.

From Salon • Apr. 17, 2025

At that moment, a honeybee lands on Suma’s unicorn horn.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera