bee-keeping

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • The occupation or activity of keeping and breeding bees: "bee-keeping" refers to the practice of maintaining colonies of honeybees, typically in hives, for the purpose of collecting honey, beeswax, or other bee products, or for crop pollination.
Usage Examples
  • Noun:
    • My grandfather took up bee-keeping as a hobby after he retired. (He started maintaining bee colonies for enjoyment.)
    • Bee-keeping requires careful management of hives to ensure the health of the bees. (The activity demands attention to the bees' well-being.)
Advanced Usage

  • "commercial bee-keeping": large-scale bee-keeping for profit, often involving hundreds of hives.

    • Commercial bee-keeping supplies honey to supermarkets across the country. (Large-scale operations produce honey for sale.)

  • "urban bee-keeping": the practice of keeping bees in cities or towns.

    • Urban bee-keeping has become popular on rooftops in London. (Keeping bees in city environments is a growing trend.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Bee-keeper (n): a person who engages in bee-keeping.

    • The bee-keeper wore a protective suit while inspecting the hive. (The person maintaining the colony used safety gear.)

  • Bee-kept (adj): (rare) relating to bees that are kept by a bee-keeper.

    • The bee-kept hives produced excellent honey this season. (The hives under human care yielded good honey.)
Synonyms

  • Apiculture: the formal term for bee-keeping; the science and art of managing honeybees.

    • Apiculture is taught at agricultural colleges. (Bee-keeping as a subject of study.)

  • Beekeeping: a common alternative spelling (without the hyphen) with the same meaning.

    • Beekeeping is a rewarding pastime. (The same activity as bee-keeping.)
Related Idioms

  • "Busy as a bee": not directly an idiom of "bee-keeping," but often associated with the industrious nature of bees kept by bee-keepers.

    • She is as busy as a bee in her bee-keeping work. (She is very active and hardworking.)

  • "To make a beeline for": to go directly towards something, reminiscent of bees returning to their hive in bee-keeping.

    • After finishing the bee-keeping chores, he made a beeline for the honey jar. (He went straight to the honey.)