honey

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[edit] English

A jar of honey, with a honey dipper and scones

[edit] 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’).

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] 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:    

[edit] Synonyms

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

[edit] Translations

sweet substance produced by bees
variety of honey
something sweet or desirable
term of affection
informal: attractive woman
colour

[edit] 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.

[edit] Translations

involving or resembling honey
honey-colored
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[edit] Derived terms

[edit] See also

other entries of interest
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