Hive
/haɪv/noun
A structure or container where bees live and store honey; by extension, a busy, crowded place.
Did you know?The word is deeply tied to Old English beo/hīfe traditions around beekeeping, and its later sense of a buzzing, crowded mass helped make “hive mind” feel almost occult.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*hibjnō / *hībō
“A beehive or bee shelter”
Old English
OE
hȳf
“A beehive, especially a woven or hollow container for bees”
Middle English
ME
hive
“A beehive; later also a swarm or crowded group”
Modern English
English
hive
“A structure for keeping bees; a busy, crowded place or group”