Collective Noun for Bees: Meaning, Origin, Example Sentences, Synonyms and Quiz 

The Collective Noun for Bees is Swarm, which refers to a group of honey bees that leave their hive to start a new colony, usually when a new queen is made. Furthermore, a few synonyms of ‘swarm’ are flock, crowd and throng in English Grammar. Read on to learn more about the collective noun for chickens, its meaning and origin, synonyms, examples of sentences with the usage of flock and a quick quiz to check how much you have learnt. 

What is the Collective Noun for Bees? – Meaning

There are other collective nouns for bees besides ‘swarm,’ which are colony, nest and hive. A ‘colony of bees’ means a group of honey bees that live together as a single family which consists of a queen, drones, and thousands of worker bees. Additionally, a ‘nest of bees’ refers to a structure that houses a colony of bees. Moreover, a ‘hive of bees’ means a structure where bees live which could either be built by people or made by the bees themselves. 

Origins of the Collective Nouns of Bees

When it comes to the origin of the word “swarm,” it originates from the Old English “swearm” which is of Germanic origin and is related to the German “schwarm.” It is also connected to the Sanskrit base “svarati,” which means ‘it sounds’.

• The origin of the word “colony” comes from Latin “colere” which means ‘cultivate,’ thereafter evolving into “colonus” meaning ‘farmer’ or ‘settler’ and “colonia” meaning ‘farm’ or ‘settlement.’ Furthermore, during the late Middle English period, it came to be known as a settlement for retired soldiers, acting as a garrison in newly conquered territory in the Roman Empire. 

• Another collective noun for bees, “nest,” has its roots in Old English (of Germanic origin) and goes back to the Latin word “nidus,” which is connected to the Indo-European base of “nether,” meaning ‘down’ and ‘sit.’

• The word ‘hive’ is of Germanic origin and, in Old English, it was ‘hȳf,’ which has evolved into the modern word ‘hive.’

Also Read: Examples of Collective Nouns with Meanings

Synonyms of Swarm

After learning about the meaning and origin of the collective noun for bees, here are a few synonyms for Swarm that you may use in different contexts.

Noun	Collective Noun	Example
Bees	Swarm	As the weather warmed, a massive swarm of bees descended upon the flowering garden.
Bees	Colony	The beekeeper carefully inspected the colony of bees to ensure the queen was healthy.
Bees	Nest	In the corner of the old barn, they found a hidden nest of bees busily making honey.
Bees	Hive	The hive of bees buzzed with activity as they collected nectar.
Bees	Grist	During the summer, the grist of bees worked tirelessly, gathering pollen from every flower in sight.
Bees	Rabble	The rabble of bees seemed agitated as they swarmed around the hive entrance.
Bees	Drift	A gentle drift of bees floated over the meadow, searching for new sources of nectar.
Bees	Stand	The apiary was home to many stands of bees, each producing its unique honey.
Bees	Erst	The erst of bees had been relocated to a new hive to guarantee their continued productivity and health.

Explore more exciting Synonyms below!

Synonyms of Gratitude	Synonyms of Environment
Synonyms of Beauty	Synonyms of Believe
Synonyms of Future	Synonyms of Death

Also Read: List of Proper Nouns

Quiz on Collective Noun for Bees

Now that you have gone through all the aforementioned information related to the collective noun of bees, here is a quick quiz to know how much you have understood! 

1. A __________ of bees can quickly form after a beehive becomes overcrowded.

a. swarm

b. colony

c. nest

d. hive

2. The queen bee is at the centre of a __________ of bees.

a. swarm

b. colony

c. nest

d. hive

3. A __________ can be temporary or permanent, depending on the bee species.

a. swarm

b. colony

c. nest

d. hive

4. A __________ is often used by beekeepers to manage and harvest honey.

a. swarm

b. colony

c. nest

d. hive

Here are your answers! 

1. a. swarm
2. b. colony
3. c. nest
4. d. hive

Find more related reads on Nouns below!

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Noun of Beautiful	Nouns Starting with B
Noun of Destroy	Nouns Starting with C
Noun of Wise	Nouns Starting with Q
Noun of Believe	Nouns Ending with Y

FAQs

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