Propolis

//ˈpɹɑ.pə.lɪs// noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An aromatic glue-like substance produced by honeybees from tree resin, waxes, and their own secretions, used in the construction of their hives. uncountable

Example

More examples

"He eats propolis near the hearth where an incandescent fire is burning."

Etymology

From Latin propolis, from Hellenistic Ancient Greek πρόπολις (própolis, “suburb; propolis”) (apparently because the material was used by bees to extend their hives), from Ancient Greek προ- (pro-, “pro-”) + πόλις (pólis, “city”).

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.