Standard Lemma guide

propolis

noun · 1 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈpɹɒ.pə.lɪs/
  • US: /ˈpɹɑ.pə.lɪs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bee glue, sour honey

Antonyms: none provided

History

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”).

Across languages

Translations

36 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: عُكْبُر (ʕukbur) — glue-like substance
  • Arabic: عِكْبَر (ʕikbar) — glue-like substance
  • Armenian: ակնամոմ (aknamom) — glue-like substance
  • Bashkir: елем (yelem) — glue-like substance
  • Bashkir: бал ҡорто елеме (bal qorto) — glue-like substance
  • Bats: დინდგლაჸო̂ (dĩdglaʾô) — glue-like substance
  • Catalan: pròpoli — glue-like substance
  • Chinese Mandarin: 蜂膠 /蜂胶 (fēngjiāo) — glue-like substance
  • Dutch: propolis — glue-like substance
  • Finnish: kittivaha — glue-like substance
  • French: propolis — glue-like substance
  • Galician: própole — glue-like substance
  • Galician: propoleo — glue-like substance
  • Georgian: დინდგელი (dindgeli) — glue-like substance
  • German: Propolis — glue-like substance
  • Greek: πρόπολη (própoli) — glue-like substance
  • Ancient Greek: πρόπολις (própolis) — glue-like substance
  • Irish: gliú beach — glue-like substance
  • Italian: propoli — glue-like substance
  • Japanese: プロポリス (puroporisu) — glue-like substance
  • Korean: 봉교 (bonggyo) — glue-like substance
  • Korean: 프로폴리스 (peuropolliseu) — glue-like substance
  • Laz: დინდგუ (dindgu) — glue-like substance
  • Eastern Mari: чыҥгаш (čyŋgaš) — glue-like substance
  • Eastern Mari: шеҥгаш (šeŋgaš) — glue-like substance
  • Mingrelian: დინდგილი (dindgili) — glue-like substance
  • Polish: kit pszczeli — glue-like substance
  • Polish: propolis — glue-like substance
  • Portuguese: própolis — glue-like substance
  • Portuguese: própole — glue-like substance
  • Russian: пропо́лис (propólis) — glue-like substance
  • Slovene: propolis — glue-like substance
  • Slovene: zadelavina — glue-like substance
  • Spanish: propóleos — glue-like substance
  • Spanish: propóleo — glue-like substance
  • Vietnamese: keo ong — glue-like substance