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
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.
The students meet a day a week for lessons in a tiny underground classroom that teachers call the beehive, for the buzzing of all the children packed inside. Maria Varenikova, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2025 If not on a set or stage, he’d likely be holed up at home, tinkering with his beehives or homemade solar heater. James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2025 Socialite Minnie Cushing wears her hair is pulled up off her face, teased into a voluminous beehive, and adorned with a sweet smattering of daisies. Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 26 Dec. 2024 As America entered World War II, the daily beehive of activity at Michigan Central rebounded as Detroit’s automotive plants shifted on a dime from making cars to whatever Uncle Sam desired. Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for beehive

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beehive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beehive. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on beehive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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