honeymoon

American  

[huhn-ee-moon] / ˈhʌn iˌmun /

noun

honeymoons plural

1. a vacation or trip taken by a newly married couple (often used attributively).

   After you've said "I do," why not escape to a dream honeymoon in Greece?

   Relax and kindle the flame of passion in one of our honeymoon suites.

2. a period of harmony at the beginning of a marriage.

   After the initial honeymoon, there may be a temptation to let routine take over.

3. any period of blissful harmony.

   Their entire 60 years of marriage was one long honeymoon.

4. any new relationship characterized by an initial period of harmony and goodwill.

   The honeymoon between Congress and the new president was over.

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verb (used without object)

honeymoons, present (3rd person singular) honeymooned, past participle, past honeymooning present participle

1. to spend one's honeymoon (usually followed by in orat ).

   In a few months we’ll be honeymooning in New Zealand, and we can't wait!

honeymoon British  

/ ˈhʌnɪˌmuːn /

noun

1. 1. a holiday taken by a newly married couple

   2. ( as modifier )

      a honeymoon cottage

2. a holiday considered to resemble a honeymoon

   a second honeymoon

3. the early, usually calm period of a relationship, such as a political or business one

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verb

1. (intr) to take a honeymoon

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• honeymooner
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• honeymoons
  plural

Participles

• honeymooning
  present
• honeymooned
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• honeymoon
  simple
• honeymoons
  simple
• have honeymooned
  perfect
• has honeymooned
  perfect
• am honeymooning
  progressive
• are honeymooning
  progressive
• is honeymooning
  progressive
• have been honeymooning
  perfect progressive
• has been honeymooning
  perfect progressive

Past

• honeymooned
  simple
• had honeymooned
  perfect
• was honeymooning
  progressive
• were honeymooning
  progressive
• had been honeymooning
  perfect progressive

Future

• will honeymoon
  simple
• will have honeymooned
  perfect
• will be honeymooning
  progressive
• will have been honeymooning
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of honeymoon

First recorded in 1540–50; honey + moon

Explanation

A honeymoon is a trip that newlyweds traditionally take right after their wedding. You might want to wait to get married until you meet someone who wants to go to Legoland on a honeymoon as much as you do. Some honeymoons are long and luxurious, involving cruises and Europe or tropical beaches and fancy hotels, while others are simple and low-key. Many married couples don't take a honeymoon at all, or wait years until having a holiday they call a honeymoon. In the 1540s, it was a hony moone, and it referred more generally to the sweet, tender span of time after a wedding. In German, it's a flitterwochen, or "tinsel week."

Example Sentences

She received £3,000 which will be used as spending money for the honeymoon which she had already paid for.

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2026

But what followed was one of the shortest honeymoon periods in British political history.

From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026

They salvaged precious few things: a clay figurine Missi and Frank had purchased on their honeymoon in Peru.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 20, 2026

We've had a "honeymoon period" of 25 years of low activity, he said, which means there hasn't been as much exposure to the bacteria, leaving populations potentially more susceptible now.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026

She remembers when she returned from her honeymoon in Soroa with a white orchid in her hair, one that Jorge had clipped from the terraced gardens high above the sulfur baths.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García