[ad. L. alveāri-um a range of bee-hives; f. alveus a tub or hollow vessel, hence a bee-hive: see -ARY.]
1. A bee-hive; a title given to an early Dictionary of English, Latin, French and Greek.
1580. Baret, Alv., To Reader, Within a yeere, or two, they had gathered together a great volume, which (for the apt similitude betweene the good Scholers and diligent Bees in gathering their waxe and honie into their Hiue) I called then their Alvearie.
1660. Howell, Parly of Beasts, 137 (D.). Ther’s not the least foulness found in our alvearies or hives.
1669. W[orlidge], Syst. Agric., 321. Alveary, a Hive of Bees.
2. Anat. The hollow of the external ear; ‘so called because the cerumen or wax is found there.’ Syd. Soc. Lex., 1879.
1719[?]. Webster cites Quincy.
1751. Chambers, Cycl., Alvearium, the bottom of the concha, or hollow of the auricle, or outer ear.
