drone
UK[drəʊn]US[droʊn]
n
a continuous low humming sound
n
a male bee that does no work but can fertilize a queen
n
a remote-controlled pilotless aircraft or missile
v
to make a continuous low humming sound
v
to speak in a monotonous tone
Etymology
the word "drone" originates from old english drān, drǣn, meaning "male bee." this is believed to be derived from a west germanic root imitating the insect's deep, monotonous hum, making it an example of onomatopoeia. the semantic connection between the bee and the sound it produces led, by the 16th century, to the verb meaning "to make a continuous low humming sound" and the noun for the sound itself. the modern sense of a pilotless aircraft, first recorded in the 1940s, is a metaphorical extension, likening the vehicle's sustained, monotonous sound and its initial role as a target to the male bee and its characteristic hum.
Analysis
the word is a simplex unit from old english. it is not productively formed from smaller, meaningful morphemes within modern english spelling.
Examples
the distant drone of an airplane was the only sound in the quiet afternoon.
the speaker droned on for hours, putting most of the audience to sleep.
the company uses drones to deliver packages to remote areas.