honey

Pluralhoneys (some meanings)

Formshoneyer, honier, honeyest, honiest

Formshoneys, honeying, honeyed

1. 1
   bee syrupnoununcountable

   The sweet, thick, usually golden fluid that bees make, mostly from flower nectar, eaten as food; also a particular kind of it, such as clover honey.

   He stirred a spoonful of honey into his evening tea.

   Local beekeepers sell raw honey at the farmers market.

   UsageCounted with containers: a spoonful of honey, a jar of honey.

   Note

   The core sense, and an old one: Old English huniġ, from Proto-Germanic *hunagą, which makes German Honig and Dutch honing its close cousins. Most of the other meanings, from the endearment to the verbs, borrow this one's sweetness. Source

   Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 5 facts

   • The substance sense existed in Old English as huniġ, which descends from Proto-Germanic *hunagą. en.wiktionary.org
   • English honey descends from Old English huniġ. en.wiktionary.org
   • German Honig is cognate with English honey. en.wiktionary.org
   • Dutch honing is cognate with English honey and German Honig. en.wiktionary.org
   • The endearment and the verbs extend the substance's sweetness literally or figuratively. en.wiktionary.org
2. 2
   darlingnoununcountable

   An affectionate name used to address someone you love or feel fondness for.

   Don't worry, honey, everything will turn out fine.

   She kissed him and whispered, "Goodnight, honey."

   UsageUsed alone as a name, set off by commas: Honey, I'm home. Best kept for partners, family and friends.

   Similardarling, sweetheart, dear, love, sweetie

   Note

   An endearment that works as a form of address. It can soothe, ask a favor or gently redirect.

3. 3
   adjective

   Involving honey or resembling it in taste, texture, or appearance.

   The recipe calls for a honey marinade on the chicken.

   A rich honey aroma drifted from the corner bakery.

   Note

   As an adjective, honey compares in two spellings: honeyer or honier, honeyest or honiest. Percy MacKaye's The Mystery of Hamlet (1950) has "the honiest word," and The Inglenook in 1911 boasts of bees that make "the honiest honey." Before a noun the plain form often fuses into a compound, like the honey-bees of Shakespeare's Henry V. Source

   Checked 30 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

   • The adjective has the comparative and superlative spellings listed. en.wiktionary.org
   • The Mystery of Hamlet contains “the honiest word”; the speaker is Moll. en.wiktionary.org
   • The Inglenook printed the phrase “the honiest honey” about bees in 1911. en.wiktionary.org
   • Shakespeare’s Henry V contains the compound “honey-bees.” en.wikisource.org
4. 4
   golden-coloredadjective

   Having the pale to brownish yellow color typical of most honey.

   Her honey hair caught the candlelight as she turned.

   They chose a warm honey shade for the bedroom walls.

   Similargolden, amber, tawny

5. 5
   sweet as sugaradjective

   Sweet as honey; having a smooth, honeyed sweetness.

   The radio host's low, honey voice kept late-night drivers company for years.

   Her warm, honey tones on the phone made every nervous caller feel like an old friend.

   Similarsweet, smooth, mellifluous, dulcet, silky

   Oppositeharsh, grating, rasping

   Note

   Here the sweetness belongs to a manner or a person, and the comparatives follow the same -i- spellings as the literal adjective. Stephen J. Mac Kenna's Handfast to Strangers (1876) gives "the honiest … of smiles," and Rose Melville's Sis Hopkins' Sayings (1908) insists no man may call his boy honier than he was. It suits smiles, voices and dispositions. Source

   Checked 30 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

   • Handfast to Strangers contains the quoted description of a smile. en.wiktionary.org
   • Rose Melville’s “Sis Hopkins’ Sayings” appeared in 1908 and says that no man should call his boy honier than himself. en.wiktionary.org
6. 6
   nounfigurativelycountable

   Something sweet, pleasing, or highly desirable.

   That old sports car is a real honey, and he refuses to sell it.

   The house needed work, but at that price it was a honey of a deal.

   UsageSet patterns: a real honey, a honey of a deal; literary writing has the honey of someone's words.

   Similardelight, dream, gem, treat, peach

   Note

   Shakespeare's figure takes the form "the honey of" something, with the sweetness belonging to whatever follows. Romeo grieves that death has sucked the honey of Juliet's breath, and in Shakespeare and Fletcher's Henry VIII the King finds matter that mars the honey of Wolsey's language. The pattern still works for voices, words and moments, and it carries a distinctly literary ring. Source

   Checked 30 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

   • Shakespeare uses the figurative construction "the honey of" something. folger.edu
   • Romeo says that death has sucked the honey of Juliet's breath. folger.edu
   • Henry VIII is a collaboration by Shakespeare and Fletcher. folgerpedia.folger.edu
   • In Act 3, scene 2, Norfolk says that the king's discoveries undermine Wolsey's persuasive language; the passage is not praise. folger.edu
7. 7
   noununcountable

   A range of pale yellow to brownish-yellow color, like that of most honey.

   The artist mixed a pale honey for the background sky.

   Autumn leaves faded from bright gold to a dull honey.

   Similaramber, gold

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