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• a variation of honor.

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  honour

  noun

  honor.
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honour

American  

[on-er] / ˈɒn ər /

noun

Chiefly British.

1. honor.

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honour ¹ British  

/ ˈɒnə /

noun

1. personal integrity; allegiance to moral principles

2. 1. fame or glory

   2. a person or thing that wins this for another

      he is an honour to the school

3. (often plural) great respect, regard, esteem, etc, or an outward sign of this

4. (often plural) high or noble rank

5. a privilege or pleasure

   it is an honour to serve you

6. a woman's virtue or chastity

7. 1. bridge poker any of the top five cards in a suit or any of the four aces at no trumps

   2. whist any of the top four cards

8. golf the right to tee off first

9. 1. to pay homage to

   2. to be a credit to

10. 1. to serve as host or hostess

    2. to perform a social act, such as carving meat, proposing a toast, etc

11. slang:school an exclamation pledging honour

12. under a moral obligation

13. out of respect for

14. on the pledge of one's word or good name

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verb

1. to hold in respect or esteem

2. to show courteous behaviour towards

3. to worship

4. to confer a distinction upon

5. to accept and then pay when due (a cheque, draft, etc)

6. to keep (one's promise); fulfil (a previous agreement)

7. to bow or curtsy to (one's dancing partner)

Honour ² British  

/ ˈɒnə /

noun

1. 1. a title used to or of certain judges

   2. (in Ireland) a form of address in general use

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Spelling

See -or ¹.

Other Word Forms

• honourer
  noun
• honourless
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of honour

C12: from Old French onor, from Latin honor esteem

Explanation

Honour is the British English spelling of the word "honor." Honour means respect or prestige. If a teacher wants her students to treat her with honour, she has to be worthy of it, showing them the respect they deserve. An honour is also a tangible award that you are given for some accomplishment. If your grades are great, you might receive an honour at the academic awards banquet. As a verb, honour means to show a high amount of respect. In traditional wedding vows, both the bride and groom promise to love and honour each other.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

honour Honour

He ordered American flags across the US to be lowered in her memory - a rare honour that is mostly reserved for elected leaders and other officials in the US government.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

Through her Imagination Library, founded in honour of her father who could not read, Dolly Parton has given away more than 100 million free books to children around the world.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

The government has promised to review laws on serious offences, and create a memorial in honour of the child.

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

Andy Burnham will mark his first foreign visit as prime minister with a trip to Kyiv on Monday to reiterate the UK's support for Ukraine and honour the country's independence day.

From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026

And when Boyle coined the phrase experimentum crucis to honour the Puy-de-Dôme experiment he was marking the beginning of a new era in which philosophical disputes would be resolved by experimentation.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

During the Napoleonic Wars, the Honour Oak marked the boundary beyond which French prisoners of war living in Tavistock on parole were not allowed to travel.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

Instead, Swift's brother Austin Swift served as her Man of Honour and retired American footballer Jason Kelce was the groom's Best Man.

From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026

Acclaimed worldwide, Britain made him a Companion of Honour in 1997.

From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026

Iceman's gone in straight at number one on the weekly UK official albums charts, with Maid of Honour at six and Habibti and seven.

From BBC ● May 22, 2026

If Mador demanded the Court of Honour, he must have it.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White