B1noun1K

Bee

UK /["/biː/"]/US /["/biː/"]/

Definition

a black and yellow flying insect that can sting (= touch your skin and make you feel a sharp pain).Bees live in large groups and make honey (= a sweet sticky substance that is good to eat).

In simple words: A small flying insect that makes honey and lives in hives.

Examples

  • Bees were buzzing in the clover.
  • a swarm of bees
  • a bee sting
  • Butterflies, flies and bees pollinate flowers.
  • He was stung by an angry bee.
  • Lavender attracts bees.
  • The bees swarmed around the hive.
  • a sewing bee
  • She thinks she's the bee's knees *(= she has a very high opinion of herself)*.
  • Our teacher has a bee in his bonnet about punctuation.

Usage notes

Use 'bee' when talking about the insect itself, especially in nature-related contexts. Avoid it in highly technical discussions about entomology.

Grammar pattern

standalone noun

Memory hint

Bee sounds like 'be' — it makes honey while being busy!

Collocations

  • bumble
  • honey
  • killer
  • swarm
  • attract
  • buzz
  • hum
  • sting (somebody)
  • hive
  • sting
  • keeper
  • quilting
  • spelling

Synonyms

  • honeybee
  • bumblebee
  • pollinator

Common mistakes

  • Confused with 'be', the verb form.
  • Thinking all flying insects are bees.
  • Mispronouncing it as 'bee' instead of the correct 'biː'.