honeypot

American  

[huhn-ee-pot] / ˈhʌn iˌpɒt /

Or honey pot

noun

1. a pot, as of glass or silver, for storing and serving honey.

2. a person or thing that acts as a lure or decoy in a trap, scam, or scheme: I thought my money was safe, but the other investors were all honeypots who were lying about their profits.

   The senator engaged in an extramarital relationship with a honeypot set up by his political rivals.

   I thought my money was safe, but the other investors were all honeypots who were lying about their profits.

3. something or some location that is attractive or rewarding and that entices a specific group of people: The author’s childhood home became a tourism honeypot for the small town.

   The unregulated dating app was a honeypot for catfishing and predatory behaviors.

   The author’s childhood home became a tourism honeypot for the small town.

4. Digital Technology.

   1. a computer system, isolated from the rest of its network, established as bait to lure malicious hackers into engaging with it, thereby revealing the identity or technique of the perpetrator without endangering the network or its data.

   2. a web page or section of hidden code in a web page that lures spammers into an interaction that identifies their content as spam or reveals its point of origin.

5. Slang: Vulgar. the vagina.

---

honeypot British  

/ ˈhʌnɪˌpɒt /

noun

1. a container for honey

2. something which attracts people in great numbers

   Cornwall is a honeypot for tourists

---

Etymology

Origin of honeypot

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English; honey, pot ¹

Example Sentences

Berlin, for a time in the early 20th century, was a honeypot for Yiddish writers and artists, said poet and activist Jake Schneider.

From Barron's • Oct. 26, 2025

Keeping with the trend of beauty and personal care as top sellers on TikTok Shop, the honeypot lip mask looks straight out of Winnie the Pooh and has sold more than 91,000 items.

From Salon • Dec. 17, 2024

You could also set up fake phone numbers—in cybersecurity terms, a honeypot.

From Scientific American • Aug. 5, 2022

"Get the gigaplant up and running we are expecting it to be the bees to the honeypot - suppliers come to you."

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2021

Our hoverplanes are initially ignored by the commanders in the Nut, because in the past they’ve been little more trouble than flies buzzing around a honeypot.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins