bees

Noun (1)

bee (plural bees or (dialectal) been)

1. A flying insect, of the clade Anthophila within the hymenopteran superfamily Apoidea, known for its organised societies (though only a minority have them), for collecting pollen and (in some species) producing wax and honey.
   • His face was belymmed as byes had him stounge[…].1499, John Skelton, The Bowge of Courte
2. (informal, proscribed) Any stinging flying insect, especially a wasp.

Noun (2)

bee (plural bees)

1. A contest, especially for spelling; see spelling bee.
   • geography bee
2. A community gathering to share labour, e.g. a sewing bee or a quilting bee.
   • The cellar […] was dug by a bee in a single day.1856, Samuel Griswold Goodrich, Recollections of a Lifetime

Noun (3)

bee (plural bees)

1. (obsolete) A ring or torque; a bracelet.
   • And kyng Arthur gaf her a ryche bee of gold and soo she departed1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Caxton, Book 7, Chapter xxxv

Noun (4)

bee (plural bees)

1. The name of the Latin script letter B/b.
   • "The ee-vee-ee-ar-en-oh-ee-ell-blank-bee-ell-oh-ess-ess-oh-em-blank-en-ee-cee-tee-ay-ar is especially dee-ee-ell-eye-cee-eye-oh-you-ess." Our friends thanked the spelling bee for his help and then he buzzed off.2004, Will Rogers, The Stonking Steps, page 170

See all 10 meanings of bee