- drone (n.)
- O.E. dran, dræn "male honeybee," from P.Gmc. *dran-, probably imitative; given a figurative sense of "idler, lazy worker" (male bees make no honey) 1520s. Meaning "pilotless aircraft" is from 1946. The verb in the sound sense is c.1500, apparently imitative. Related: Droned; droning.