Phrase guide

birds and bees

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

Informal education about sex.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: euphemistic, idiomatic, plural, plural-only

Examples

  • We learned about birds and bees back in school.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: facts of life

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Informal (by analogy) sex itself.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: euphemistic, idiomatic, plural, plural-only

Examples

  • I had the birds and bees with your mother.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Derived from analogies of pollination and egglaying for sexual intercourse and ovulation respectively.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Danish: bierne og blomsterne — euphemistic: sexual activity
  • Dutch: de bloemetjes en de bijtjes — euphemistic: sexual activity
  • Finnish: kukat ja mehiläiset — euphemistic: sexual activity
  • German: die Bienchen und Blümchen — euphemistic: sexual activity
  • German: Tatsachen des Lebens — euphemistic: sexual activity
  • Polish: ptaszki i pszczółki — euphemistic: sexual activity
  • Swedish: blommor och bin — euphemistic: sexual activity