Honey

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈhÊŒni/
• Rhymes: -ÊŒni
• Hyphenation: hon + ey

Origin

From Middle English hony, honi, from Old English huniġ, from Proto-Germanic *hunagą (compare West Frisian hunich, German Honig), from earlier *hunangą (compare Swedish honung), from pre-Germanic *kn̥h₂onkós, from Proto-Indo-European *kh₂ónks (gen. *kn̥h₂kós) (compare Middle Welsh canecon ("gold"), Latin (pl.) canicae ("bran"), Tocharian B kronkśe ("bee"), Albanian qengjë ("beehive"), Ancient Greek κνηκός (knēkós, "pale yellow")), Kurdish şan ("beehive").

Full definition of honey

Noun

1. (uncountable) A viscous, sweet fluid produced from plant nectar by bees. Often used to sweeten tea or to spread on baked goods.
2. (countable) A variety of this substance.
• 1908, United States. Bureau of Chemistry, The physical properties of the different honeys, color, granulation, aroma, flavor, etc., are indicated in the table only in a very general way.
• 1949, The Hive and the Honey Bee, If two of the California honeys, western hyssop and fleabane, having a positive polarization at 200 C. are disregarded, then the remaining...
• 2011, Stephen Taylor, Advances in Food and Nutrition Research, Eucalyptus honeys could be characterized based on seven volatile compounds, whereas lavender honeys had only five...
3. (figuratively) Something sweet or desirable.
• 1595, William Shakespeare, , Act 5, Scene 3, lines 91–93:O my love, my wife!
  Death, that hath suck'd the honey of thy breath
  Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty.
• Shakespearethe honey of his language
4. (non-gloss definition, A term of affection.)Honey, would you take out the trash?Honey, I'm home.
5. (countable, informal) A woman, especially an attractive one.Man, there are some fine honeys here tonight!
6. A spectrum of pale yellow to brownish-yellow colour, like that of most types of (the sweet substance) honey.

Synonyms

• (sweet fluid from bees) mel
• (term of affection) sweetie

Adjective

1. Describing a thing involving or resembling honey.
• 1599 William Shakespeare, Henry V, Act 1, Sc. 2:So work the honey-bees,
  Creatures that by a rule in nature teach
  The act of order to a peopled kingdom.
2. A spectrum of pale yellow to brownish-yellow colour, like that of most types of honey.

Verb

1. To be gentle, agreeable, or coaxing; to talk fondly; to use endearments.
• ShakespeareHoneying and making love.
2. To be or become obsequiously courteous or complimentary; to fawn.
• TennysonRough to common men,
  But honey at the whisper of a lord.

Derived terms