bumblebee: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to informal
Quick answer
What does “bumblebee” mean?
A large, hairy, flying insect of the bee family, typically with black and yellow stripes, known for its loud buzzing and clumsy flight.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A large, hairy, flying insect of the bee family, typically with black and yellow stripes, known for its loud buzzing and clumsy flight.
A metaphor for something or someone that is large, hairy, clumsy, or produces a low humming/buzzing sound. Also refers to a type of Transformer robot in popular culture.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in the noun 'bumblebee' itself. However, a related insect, the 'hummingbird hawk-moth', is sometimes colloquially called a 'hummingbee' in some UK contexts, but this is not standard.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally common in both UK and US English.
Grammar
How to Use “bumblebee” in a Sentence
The bumblebee [VERB: buzzed, flew, landed, pollinated].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bumblebee” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Stop bumbling about like a dazed bumblebee and focus!
- He bumblebeed his way through the crowded hall, apologising constantly.
American English
- She bumblebeed around the kitchen, knocking over everything.
- The old truck bumblebeed down the dirt road, backfiring loudly.
adverb
British English
- (Extremely rare) The drone flew bumblebee-like over the flowers.
American English
- (Extremely rare) The motor ran bumblebee-loud.
adjective
British English
- The toy robot had a cute, bumblebee-esque colour scheme.
- His bumblebee-like buzzing was oddly soothing.
American English
- They painted the bike in bumblebee yellow and black.
- The plane made a bumblebee drone as it passed overhead.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Potentially used metaphorically for a productive but somewhat chaotic team or process.
Academic
Common in biological/ecological texts discussing pollination, insect behavior, or conservation.
Everyday
Very common when talking about insects, gardens, nature, or as a cute/friendly symbol.
Technical
Used in entomology and agriculture (e.g., 'bumblebee pollination services for greenhouse crops').
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bumblebee”
- Misspelling as one word ('bumblebee') is standard, but two words ('bumble bee') is also accepted. 'Bumblybee' is incorrect.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, female bumblebees can sting, but they are generally non-aggressive and only do so when provoked or defending their nest. Unlike honeybees, they can sting multiple times.
Bumblebees do produce a small amount of honey-like substance to feed their larvae, but not in the vast, harvestable quantities that honeybees do.
Both are accepted in modern English, though 'bumblebee' as a single word is more common in general usage. Dictionaries list both forms.
The name is onomatopoeic and imitative. The 'bumble' part comes from the Middle English 'bumblen', meaning to buzz or hum, combined with 'bee'. It describes their characteristic clumsy, buzzing flight.
A large, hairy, flying insect of the bee family, typically with black and yellow stripes, known for its loud buzzing and clumsy flight.
Bumblebee is usually neutral to informal in register.
Bumblebee: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbʌm.bl̩.biː/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbʌm.bəl.bi/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “'As busy as a bumblebee' (though 'busy bee' is more common).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
BUMBLE + BEE. It 'bumbles' along (moves clumsily) and is a BEE. Think of a clumsy, buzzing bear of a bee.
Conceptual Metaphor
CLUMSY, HEAVY MOVEMENT IS BUMBLING; LOUD, LOW SOUND IS BUZZING.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a key characteristic of a bumblebee, as opposed to a honeybee?