/prop"euh lis/ , n.
a reddish resinous cement collected by bees from the buds of trees, used to stop up crevices in the hives, strengthen the cells, etc. Also called bee glue .
[ 1350-1400; própolis bee glue, lit., outskirts of a city (see PRO- 2 , -POLIS), appar. orig. the name for a structure around the entrance to a hive, hence applied to the glue from which it was made; r. ME propoleos propolis as above ]