[bee] n [ME, fr. OE beo; akin to OHG bia bee, OIr bech, Lith bitis] (bef. 12c) 1: honeybee; broadly: any of numerous insects (superfamily Apoidea) that differ from the related wasps esp. in the heavier hairier body and in having sucking as well as chewing mouthparts, that feed on pollen and nectar, and that store both and often also honey
2: an eccentric notion: fancy -- bee.like adj -- bee in one's bonnet : [1]bee
2.
[2]bee n (14c): the letter b [3]bee n [perh. fr. E dial. been help given by neighbors, fr. ME bene prayer, boon, fr. OE ben prayer--more at boon] (1769): a gathering of people for a specific purpose "quilting ~"