king bee

noun

, South Midland and Southern U.S.

1. a self-important person.

Word History and Origins

Origin of king bee¹

1890–95, Americanism; on the model of queen bee

Example Sentences

Thanks to a recent $35,000 grant from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University, the king bee will be able to recruit more workers to help spread the knowledge.

From Washington Times

Eclectic Tuesdays The 13-week multidisciplinary series continues with performances by Washington Improv Theater’s King Bee and Nox ensembles. 7 p.m.

From Washington Post

Rooted in 17th-century French peasant fare and shaped by the Acadians’ hardscrabble early years in the New World, these dishes are simple, hearty and, as diners at restaurants like King Bee in Manhattan and Loyal Nine in Cambridge, Mass., are finding, a sturdy platform for experimentation.

From Wall Street Journal

When I visited King Bee this summer for a tour of its backyard garden with chef Jeremie Tomczak, he plucked a sprig of summer savory, an herb whose peppery flavor is a constant across different iterations of fricot.

From Wall Street Journal

Eli Broad, the museum's founder and namesake, sat in the center of the room, king bee ensconced in a cacophony of snaps and pops from circling photographers.

From Los Angeles Times