queen bee

noun

1. a fertile female bee.
2. a woman who is in a favored or preeminent position.

queen bee

noun

1. the fertile female bee in a hive
2. informal.
   a woman in a position of dominance or ascendancy over her peers or associates

Word History and Origins

Origin of queen bee¹

First recorded in 1600–10

Example Sentences

That doesn’t earn him additional respect from Tedesco or the other queen bees, who instead wonder what the Catholic church is doing in Afghanistan.

From Salon

The four Ghostbusters, for instance, bring distinct skills and backgrounds to the table, while the witches in "The Craft" each embody a different archetype of teenage girlhood, from outcast to queen bee.

From Salon

It wasn’t clear if the hive was simply following a queen bee that attached herself to the engine, he added.

From Los Angeles Times

Her competition for queen bee is now a self-described "authentic, socially conscious, body positive, environmentally aware and economically compassionate" influencer.

From BBC

The queen bee decides not to add sperm to the egg during the laying process.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• female
• girl
• woman