queen bee syndrome

noun

A social phenomenon whereby women in positions of authority treat subordinate women worse than they treat men.

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Meanings

nounqueen bee syndrome (uncountable)
  1. uncountableA social phenomenon whereby women in positions of authority treat subordinate women worse than they treat men.

Origin

Coined in 1973 by researchers Graham Staines, Carol Tavris, and Toby E. Jayaratne.

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Cite this entry
APA

queen bee syndrome. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/queen%20bee%20syndrome

MLA

“queen bee syndrome.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/queen%20bee%20syndrome. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “queen bee syndrome,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/queen%20bee%20syndrome.

Source: queen bee syndrome on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.