also bumblebee, "large, hairy type of bee," 1520s, replacing Middle English humbul-be (altered by association with Middle English bombeln "to boom, buzz," late 14c.), which probably originally was echoic.
Entries linking to bumble-bee
dumbledore n.
1787, a dialect word in Hampshire, Cornwall, etc. for "a bumblebee." Compare bumble-bee, also dore. The first element likely is imitative (dumble-, bumble-, humble- drumble- all seem to have been used interchangeably).
humble-bee n.
"bumble-bee," mid-15c. but suspected to be older, from humble (late 14c.), frequentative of hum (v.). + bee (n.1). Compare bumble-bee.