Bees

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈbiːz/

Definitions

1. The plural form referring to more than one flying insect that collects nectar and produces honey
2. Indicating multiple individuals of the stinging insect known for making honey and living in colonies
3. Used to denote several members of the species that pollinate flowers and produce wax and honey

Etymology: Bee comes from Old English "beo," and its cognates across Germanic and Slavic languages point to a very old common root for the insect. The Old English form itself descends from an earlier "bīo," which is the immediate ancestor that English inherited directly, not borrowed. The most striking connection is to the Latin "fūcus," which also meant "bee," a reminder that the word once travelled widely across European languages. Lithuanian "bitė," Russian "pchelá," and Polish "pszczoła" all belong to the same family of words for the insect, showing how far the root spread from its shared origin. Plural "bees" is simply the regular plural of "bee," formed by adding "-s" to the singular.

Synonyms: pollinators, insects, honeybees