bumblebee

noun

bum·​ble·​bee ˈbəm-bəl-ˌbē How to pronounce bumblebee (audio)
variants or less commonly bumble bee
: any of numerous large robust hairy social bees (genus Bombus)

Examples of bumblebee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Colorful flowers tower over guests, butterflies are as big as birds and snails and bumblebees crawl and buzz along the walls. — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 16 June 2026 Rising temperatures are thought to be one of the main contributors to a decline in bumblebees. — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2026 From the sparkle of the morning sun to the hum of a bumblebee to the bright sweetness of lemonade, yellow is definitely a summer color. — Holly Lebowitz Rossi, Parents, 2 July 2026 Bees are naturally drawn to the violet-blue range of colors and bumblebees use their long tongues, to easily reach the nectar within the tubular flowers. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for bumblebee

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bumblebee was in 1530

Rhymes for bumblebee

See All Rhymes for bumblebee

Browse Nearby Words

bumble
bumblebee
bumblebee buzzer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bumblebee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bumblebee. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

bumblebee

noun
bum·​ble·​bee ˈbəm-bəl-ˌbē How to pronounce bumblebee (audio)
: any of numerous large hairy social bees

More from Merriam-Webster on bumblebee

Nglish: Translation of bumblebee for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bumblebee

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