beenoun [ C ]
uk/biː/us/biː/bee noun [ C ] (INSECT)
B1 a yellow and black flying insect that makes honey and can sting you:
A swarm of bees flew into the garden.
My arm swelled up where I was stung by a bee.
See also
bumblebee
More examples
- The bee turns nectar into honey.
- a queen bee
- Do all types of bee sting?
- She keeps bees.
- The bees were starting to swarm.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Insect names
- anopheles
- ant
- aphid
- beastie
- bedbug
- daddy longlegs
- deathwatch beetle
- dragonfly
- earwig
- earworm
- insect
- ladybird
- lice
- lightning bug
- locust
- silverfish
- stick insect
- termite
- tortoiseshell butterfly
- tsetse fly
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bee noun [ C ] (GROUP)
US a group of people who come together in order to take part in a particular activity:
a sewing bee
a spelling bee
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Groups of people
- alliance
- an
- assemblage
- band
- bevy
- corps
- crop
- gang
- ginger group
- group
- grouping
- harem
- quarter
- stable
- threesome
- throng
- tribe
- triumvirate
- vintage
- wing
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Idiom(s)
be (as) busy as a bee
be the bee's knees
have a bee in your bonnet