honey

[ huhn-ee ]

/ ˈhʌn i /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR honey ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural hon·eys.

a sweet, viscid fluid produced by bees from the nectar collected from flowers, and stored in nests or hives as food.

this substance as used in cooking or as a spread or sweetener.

the nectar of flowers.

any of various similarly sweet, viscid products produced by insects or in other ways.

something sweet, delicious, or delightful: the honey of flattery.

Informal. a person for whom one feels love or deep affection; sweetheart; darling.

(sometimes initial capital letter) an affectionate or familiar term of address, as to a child or romantic partner (sometimes offensive when used to strangers, casual acquaintances, subordinates, etc., especially by a male to a female).

Informal. something of especially high quality, degree of excellence, etc.: That's a honey of a computer.

adjective

of, like, or pertaining to honey; sweet.

containing honey or flavored or sweetened with honey.

verb (used with object), hon·eyed or hon·ied, hon·ey·ing.

Informal. to talk flatteringly or endearingly to (often followed by up).

to sweeten or flavor with or as if with honey.

verb (used without object), hon·eyed or hon·ied, hon·ey·ing.

Informal. to use flattery, endearing terms, etc., in an effort to obtain something (often followed by up): They always got what they wanted by honeying up to their grandfather.

Nearby words

Origin of honey

before 900; Middle English hony, Old English hunig; cognate with Dutch, German honig, Old Norse hunang; akin to Greek knēkós pale yellow, tawny

Related formshon·ey·ful, adjectivehon·ey·less, adjectivehon·ey·like, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for honey

Ancient Romans exchanged gifts of figs and honey and would make sure to work part of the day as a good omen for the coming year.
New Year’s Eve, Babylon Style|Candida Moss|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Maybe our dear bear should sit quietly, not chase piglets and just eat berries and honey.
After His Disastrous Annual Press Conference, Putin Needs A Hug|Anna Nemtsova|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We can thank Lisa Kudrow for the rise of celeb reality TV—Real Housewives, the Kardashians, Honey Boo Boo and its ilk.
How Lisa Kudrow Pulled Off TV’s Ultimate ‘Comeback’|Kevin Fallon|November 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Still, not everything has been milk and honey when it comes to trans issues in the Holy Land.
Trans in the Holy Land: ‘Marzipan Flowers,’ Tal Kallai, and the Shattering of Israel’s LGBT Taboos|Itay Hod|November 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST

As quickly as Honey Boo Boo came, there she goes—even more quickly.
The Shocking Rise and Fall of ‘Honey Boo Boo’|Kevin Fallon|October 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
First of all, we must find where the honey is, then we can come back and get it.
Father Bear and Bobby Bear|Howard B. Famous
Binti Ali took a large pumpkin and filled it with honey and placed it on her bed, and she herself got under the bed.
Black Tales for White Children|C. H. Stigand
I see the drops of honey welling out, lapped up by the glutton as soon as they appear.
Social Life in the Insect World|J. H. Fabre
If a bear, big or little, has one weakness in this world it is just honey.
The Wolf's Long Howl|Stanley Waterloo
Bees are sometimes drowned (or suffocated) in the honey which they collect.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 17, No. 104, June, 1866|Various

British Dictionary definitions for honey

honey

/ (ˈhʌnɪ) /

noun

a sweet viscid substance made by bees from nectar and stored in their nests or hives as food. It is spread on bread or used as a sweetening agent

any similar sweet substance, esp the nectar of flowers

anything that is sweet or delightful

(often capital) mainly US and Canadian a term of endearment

informal, mainly US and Canadian something considered to be very good of its kinda honey of a car

(modifier) of, concerned with, or resembling honey

verb honeys, honeying, honeyed or honied

(tr) to sweeten with or as if with honey

(often foll by up) to talk to (someone) in a fond or flattering way

Derived Formshoney-like, adjective

Word Origin for honey

Old English huneg; related to Old Norse hunang, Old Saxon hanig, German Honig, Greek knēkos yellowish, Sanskrit kánaka- gold

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for honey

honey

Old English hunig, from Proto-Germanic *hunagam- (cf. Old Norse hunang, Swedish honung, Old Saxon huneg, Old Frisian hunig, Middle Dutch honich, Dutch honig, Old High German honang, German Honig "honey"); perhaps from PIE *k(e)neko- "yellow, golden" (cf. Sanskrit kancanum, Welsh canecon "gold"). The more common Indo-European word is represented by Gothic miliþ (from PIE *melith "honey;" see Melissa). A term of endearment from at least mid-14c. Meaning "anything good of its kind" is 1888, American English.

honey

mid-14c., from honey (n.). Related: Honeyed; honeying.

honey

noun, plural hon·eys.

adjective

verb (used with object), hon·eyed or hon·ied, hon·ey·ing.

verb (used without object), hon·eyed or hon·ied, hon·ey·ing.

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Origin of honey

Examples from the Web for honey

honey

noun

verb honeys, honeying, honeyed or honied

Word Origin for honey

honey

honey