beehive

noun

bee·​hive ˈbē-ˌhīv How to pronounce beehive (audio)
plural beehives
1
: hive sense 1
In the spring, two young grizzly bears, just out of a winter's sleep, … knocked over a half-dozen commercial beehives and fed on the honey and larvae within.Jim Robbins
2
: something resembling a hive for bees: such as
a
: a scene of crowded activity
… a beehive of growling trucks, riverboats laden with supplies, helicopters and airplanes buzzing overhead …National Geographic
b
: a woman's hairstyle that is conical in shape
She is about sixty-five with hair white as spun sugar, piled up in a beehive hairdo that has been out of style for twenty years.W. P. Kinsella
beehive adjective

Examples of beehive in a Sentence

The office was a beehive of activity. wearing her hair in a beehive
Recent Examples on the Web With the film shooting its end sequences first, Winehouse’s iconic beehive was at its highest. Lexi Carson, Variety, 17 May 2024 Caricature-like proportions were another signature — from a giant beehive, bold gold jewelry and teetering peep-toe pumps to diminutive halter dresses and ultra-skinny jeans. Ingrid Schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 May 2024 Sure, drama must be condensed to tell a story in approximately two hours, but our only clue that time is passing comes via Winehouse’s growing beehive. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 16 May 2024 Meet the 'Grippers.' Setup a beehive in your backyard There's lot of benefits to keeping bees, from sweet honey, to beeswax that's all yours to mind. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 19 Apr. 2024 The arrangement is reminiscent of a beehive’s division of labor, in which the insects split the work of gathering nectar, tending to larvae and scouting new locations for the hive to move to. Quanta Magazine, 11 Apr. 2024 Rihanna showed off her new hair color in a beehive with a sweeping fringe. Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 27 Mar. 2024 The set includes five dolls, one bunny, a bike, a beehive, and lots of other extras. Maya Polton, Parents, 23 Mar. 2024 Owen Finnie and Matthew Elmes at Maiden Castle Farm, with an AI beehive. Frankie Adkins, WIRED, 10 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'beehive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of beehive was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near beehive

Cite this Entry

“Beehive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beehive. Accessed 20 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

beehive

1 of 2 noun
bee·​hive
ˈbē-ˌhīv
1
2
: hive entry 1 sense 2
a beehive of activity

beehive

2 of 2 adjective
: resembling a dome-shaped beehive
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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