n.
Pronunciation: ' h ī v
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hy ̄ f; perhaps akin to Old Norse h ū fr ship's hull, Latin c ū pa tub, Sanskrit k ū pa cave
Date: before 12th century
1 a : a container for housing honeybees b : the usually aboveground nest of bees
2 : a colony of bees
3 : a place swarming with activity
– hive · less \ -l ə s \ adjective