apiarist

American  

[ey-pee-uh-rist] / ˈeɪ pi ə rɪst /

noun

1. a person who keeps an apiary.

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apiarist British  

/ ˈeɪpɪərɪst /

noun

1. a person who studies or keeps bees

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Etymology

Origin of apiarist

First recorded in 1810–20; apiar(y) + -ist

Explanation

Apiarist is a fancy word for a beekeeper. An apiarist enjoys working with an unusual kind of pet, the honeybee. Because bees and other pollinators are so important to a healthy environment scientists encourage “bee-spotting” to improve fruits and vegetables. The -ist suffix is a Greek form that means “a person connected with.” So, a good apiarist is probably a strong environmentalist.

Example Sentences

Her father, a fifth-generation apiarist, started the family’s bee garden, a large collection of hives, in Almere in the 1970s.

From New York Times • Feb. 9, 2022

According to the apiarist community, most bee thieves are actually just washed-up beekeepers making a last-ditch effort to save their businesses.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 13, 2021

Six years ago, Tucson native and sommelier Noel Patterson began amateur beekeeping after receiving a hive as a gift from a skilled local apiarist.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2021

Murray Borer, an apiarist and president of his regional beekeeper's association, told the BBC his industry has been decimated by the pesticide.

From BBC • Nov. 24, 2016

Towards the end of my investigations, I heard of a German theory which relates to the Hive-bee and comes from Dzierzon, the apiarist.

From Bramble-Bees and Others by Teixeira de Mattos, Alexander