bee-mistress

A bee-mistress carefully inspects a honeycomb frame in her apiary.

Definition

Noun: A bee-mistress is a woman who keeps bees, especially for the production of honey. This term is the female counterpart of "bee-master."

Usage Examples

• (A woman who manages beehives.)
• (A woman experienced in beekeeping.)

Advanced Usage

• "to consult the bee-mistress": to seek advice from a female beekeeper.
  • Before starting my own apiary, I decided to consult the local bee-mistress for tips. (To ask an expert female beekeeper for guidance.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bee-master (n): a man who keeps bees.
  • The bee-master taught his apprentice how to handle the swarm.
• Beekeeper (n): a person who keeps bees, regardless of gender.
  • The beekeeper wore protective gear while working with the hives.
• Apiarist (n): a formal term for a beekeeper.
  • The apiarist maintained over fifty hives in her orchard.

Synonyms

• Apiarist: a person who keeps bees.
• Bee-keeper: a person who manages bees.

Related Idioms

• "Busy as a bee": very industrious and active.
  • The bee-mistress was busy as a bee, preparing the hives for winter. (Extremely hardworking.)