Honey Definition

honey

English

Etymology

Middle English hony, honi, from Old English huniġ, from Proto-Germanic *hunagan (cf. West Frisian hunich, German Honig), from earlier *hunangan (cf. Swedish honung), from pre-Germanic *kn̥h₂onkós, from Proto-Indo-European *kh₂ónks (gen. *kn̥h₂kós) (cf. Middle Welsh canecon ‘gold’, Latin (pl.) canicæ ‘bran’, Tocharian B kronkśe ‘bee’, Albanian qengjë ‘beehive’, Ancient Greek κνηκός (knēkós) ‘pale yellow’).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈhʌni/, X-SAMPA: /"hVni/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌni

Noun

honey (countable and uncountable; plural honeys)

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.
3. (figuratively) Something sweet or desirable.
   • 1595, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 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.

4. A term of affection.

   Honey, would you take out the trash?

5. (informal, countable) 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.

   honey colour:

Synonyms

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

Adjective

honey (comparative more honey, superlative most honey)

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.

Translations

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Derived terms

See also

• Appendix:Colors

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See Also:

• Blsm Honey Jar
• Honey
• Honey Board
• Honey Butter
• Honey Can Do Hngz Pack
• Honey Can Do Sft
• Honey Do Handyman
• Honey Do Inc
• Inc Honey