humblebee

== English == === Alternative forms === humble-bee === Etymology === From Middle English humbul-be, humbulbe, hombul-be, from *humbul (“bumblebee”) + be (“bee”). See also West Frisian hommel (“bumblebee”), Dutch hommel (“bumblebee”), German Low German Hummel (“bumblebee”), German Hummel (“bumblebee”), Swedish humla (“bumblebee”), Norwegian humle (“bumblebee”); also cognate with Dutch hommelbij (“bumblebee”), Danish humlebi (“bumblebee”). Compare also English humble (“to hum”). === Noun === humblebee (plural humblebees) (archaic) A bumblebee. 1800's, Ralph Waldo Emerson, The Humblebee Burly, dozing humblebee, Where thou art is clime for me. ==== References ==== “humblebee”, in Collins English Dictionary, 2011–present. “humblebee”, in Merriam-Webster.com Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.