From Middle English hony, honi, from Old English huniġ, from Proto-West Germanic *hunag, from Proto-Germanic *hunagą (compare Saterland Frisian Hunich, West Frisian hunich, German Low German Honnig, German Honig), from earlier *hunangą (compare North Frisian honning, hönning, West Frisian huning, Dutch honing, Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, and Norwegian Nynorsk honning, Swedish honung, Faroese hunangur, Icelandic hunang), from Proto-Indo-European *kn̥h₂onk-o-s, from *kn̥h₂ónks.
Cognate with Middle Welsh canecon (“gold”), Latin canicae pl (“bran”), Tocharian B kronkśe (“bee”), Albanian qengjë (“beehive”), Ancient Greek κνῆκος (knêkos, “safflower”), Northern Kurdish şan (“beehive”), Northern Luri گونج (gonj, “bee”), Finnish hunaja.
Meanings
Involving or resembling honey.
Dim as the forming of / Dew in the warming of / Moonlight, they light on the petals; / All is revealed to them; / All!—from the sunniest / Tips to the honiest / Heart, whence they yield to them / Spice, through the darkness that settles. 1907, Madison Cawein, “One Day and Another: A Lyrical Eclogue”, in The Poems of Madison Cawein, volumes II (New World Idylls and Poems of Love), Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, page 8:
Its perfume is variously described as ‘divine’ and reminiscent of nuts. Of grapes it is the grapiest; of honey the honiest. 1962, Harper’s Bazaar, volume 95, page 204:
The Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad speaks of the ātman as the honey (madhu) and as the “honiest” of all the honeys. 1985, P.T. Raju, Structural Depths of Indian Thought, Albany, N.Y.: State University of New York Press, →ISBN, pages 407–408:
Have you tried Fuller's(?) organic honey beer? It's much, much nicer than Waggledance. Honeyer. Mmmm. 2004 March 13, Janet McKnight, “Beer”, in uk.misc (Usenet), archived from the original on 21 Feb 2024:
“I say,” it said, “don’t gran’ma make the hunkiest frosted cookies, though?” / “My, yes, an’ gran’pa’s bees the honiest honey?” flashed back from Station Mary. 1911 January 3, “[The Children’s Corner] Wireless Telegraphy”, in The Inglenook, volume XIII, number 1, Elgin, Ill.: Brethren Publishing House, page 19, column 1:
moll / Even to the least detail of love and duty / To win the dalliance of her majesty. / king hamlet / Dalliance? / moll / ’T is the honiest word that sticks / On my lord Osric’s tongue, like a dayfly’s wing / On a toad’s tongue-tip. 1950, Percy MacKaye, The Mystery Of Hamlet, King of Denmark, or What We Will: A Tetralogy by Percy MacKaye, in Prologue to The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke, by William Shakespeare, London: The Bodley Head, published 1952, page 397:
So work the honey-bees, / Creatures that by a rule in nature teach / The act of order to a peopled kingdom. 1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
Of a pale yellow to brownish-yellow color, like most types of honey.
Then I looked close at the scalp he stroked, which was of the silkiest blonde. For a moment I was sure it come from Olga’s dear head, and reckoned also he had little Gus’s fine skull-cover someplace among his filthy effects, the stinking old savage, living out his life of murder, rapine, and squalor, and I almost knifed him before I collected myself and realized the hair was honeyer than my Swedish wife’s. 1964, Thomas Berger, “My Indian Wife”, in Little Big Man, New York, N.Y.: The Dial Press, →LCCN, page 214:
Honey-sweet.
No man has any business to say that his boy is honier than he was,—or is. 1908 January 25, Rose Melville, “Sis Hopkins’ Sayings”, in The Sandusky Star-Journal, Sandusky, Oh., page twelve:
Mais il se ravisa et revint dire, de son air bonhomme : « Écoutez donc Lantier, j’ai besoin d’un homard…[…] » 1886, Émile Zola, unknown translator, chapter II, in His Masterpiece? (L’Œuvre.) Or, Claude Lantier’s Struggle for Fame. A Realistic Novel., London: Vizetelly & Co., […], page 54:
“Oh, my dears, I must tell you this. At dinner the other evening I made a really truly growly belted earl squirm. I had told him how much I liked a little speech he had made, when he turned on me in his most growly belted early manner. / “‘Do you say that, Lady Polly,’ he snorted, ‘because it is the truth or because it is the correct thing to say?’ / “‘Not being an earl,’ I replied in my honeyest voice, ‘I don’t recognise any difference between the two.’ 1927 November 9, Punch, or The London Charivari, London: […] [T]he Office, […], page 512, columns 2–3:
“We’ve placed your arms in that position, Miss Day,” I said in my honeyest voice, “because it’s the safest just in case you have a fracture.[…]” 1957, William J[ulius] Lederer, Ensign O’Toole and Me, New York, N.Y.: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., →LCCN, page 177:
After hundreds of listens, Odessey and Oracle still sounds like a paragon of poignant psychedelic pop, rendered in orchestral splendor and adorned with indelible melodies that are to cry for, sung in the honeyest of tones by the angelically melancholy [Colin] Blunstone. 2017 April 19, Dave Segal, “The Zombies: Odessey and Oracle 50th Anniversary”, in The Stranger, volume 26, number 34, Seattle, Wash., page 37, column 3:
Then this guy stalled at my desk, fishing for his wallet, giving me the honeyest smile. 1970, Cal, volumes 33–35, page 1:
But he answered the question with the honiest—Bohemian honey—of smiles: […] 1876, Stephen J[oseph] Mac Kenna, Handfast to Strangers: A Novel, volume III, London: Chapman and Hall, […], page 137:
Then upside down by her tail she swings / And sings in the honeyest voice I’ve heard: / “One day I will grow a pair of wings / And become a furry Hummingbird.” 2001, Adrian Mitchell, Zoo of Dreams, London: Orchard Books, →ISBN, page 37:
“Thanks honey, I love you.” / Kaya, “I like it when you say, honey.” / “I like it too, but you are honeyer than honey.” 2023, David Samir Yaghnam, “But how can I, look at me”, in Adam and Eve, This Age!, [Lighthouse Point, Fla.: Visionary Book Writers], →ISBN, page 710:
It was Neezer who had found Sally for us at his church, where, he testified, the woman sang “with the honeyest voice you ever heard. If her singing don’t make the Lord happy, nothing does.” 2005, Lee Siegel, Who Wrote the Book of Love?, Chicago, Ill.; London: The University of Chicago Press, →ISBN, page 17:
MEETHAN MADHU NE MEETHA MEHULA RE LOL, ETHI MEETHEE TE MORI MAT RE, JANANEE NI JOD SAKHI ! 2018 March–April, J. K. Khuman, “Gender, Class, and Caste Consciousness with Special Reference to Indian Literature”, in Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies, volume 5, number 44, →ISSN, page 9756:
Forms
Spelling
Features
Labels
Source
honeyer
Degree=Cmp
lexicographic
hunny
alternative, pronunciation-spelling
lexicographic
honiest
Degree=Sup
lexicographic
honeyest
Degree=Sup
lexicographic
hunney
alternative, pronunciation-spelling
lexicographic
honier
Degree=Cmp
lexicographic
hony
alternative, obsolete
lexicographic
Translations (17)
es mielero (involving or resembling honey) · es melífico (involving or resembling honey) · es meloso (involving or resembling honey) · grc μελίχρως (honey-colored) · es melifluo (involving or resembling honey) · ro mieriu (honey-colored) · fi hunajainen (involving or resembling honey) · grc μελίτινος (involving or resembling honey) · es melero (involving or resembling honey) · bg меден (honey-colored) · ka თაფლისფერი (honey-colored) · ru медо́вый (involving or resembling honey) · fi hunajankeltainen (honey-colored) · es melificado (involving or resembling honey) · el μελής (honey-colored) · es melífero (involving or resembling honey) · bg меден (involving or resembling honey)
From Middle English hony, honi, from Old English huniġ, from Proto-West Germanic *hunag, from Proto-Germanic *hunagą (compare Saterland Frisian Hunich, West Frisian hunich, German Low German Honnig, German Honig), from earlier *hunangą (compare North Frisian honning, hönning, West Frisian huning, Dutch honing, Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, and Norwegian Nynorsk honning, Swedish honung, Faroese hunangur, Icelandic hunang), from Proto-Indo-European *kn̥h₂onk-o-s, from *kn̥h₂ónks.
Cognate with Middle Welsh canecon (“gold”), Latin canicae pl (“bran”), Tocharian B kronkśe (“bee”), Albanian qengjë (“beehive”), Ancient Greek κνῆκος (knêkos, “safflower”), Northern Kurdish şan (“beehive”), Northern Luri گونج (gonj, “bee”), Finnish hunaja.
Meanings
(uncountable, usually) A sweet, viscous, gold-colored fluid produced from plant nectar by bees, and often consumed by humans.
The honey in the pot should last for years.
(countable, usually) A variety of this substance.
Eucalyptus honeys could be characterized based on seven volatile compounds, whereas lavender honeys had only five... 2011, Stephen Taylor, Advances in Food and Nutrition Research, volume 62:
The physical properties of the different honeys, color, granulation, aroma, flavor, etc., are indicated in the table only in a very general way. 1908, United States. Bureau of Chemistry, Bulletin, numbers 110-114:
If two of the California honeys, western hyssop and fleabane, having a positive polarization at 200 C. are disregarded, then the remaining... 1949, Roy A. Grout, editor, The Hive and the Honey Bee:
(rare, uncountable, usually) Nectar.
(figuratively, uncountable, usually) Something sweet or desirable.
the honey of his language 1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
O my love, my wife! / Death, that hath suck'd the honey of thy breath / Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty. c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii], lines 91–93:
(uncountable, usually) A term of affection.
"So far, so good... are you doing okay?" "Flying... is awesome!" "Focus, honey." 2013 July 30, Dan Shive, El Goonish Shive (webcomic), Comic for Tuesday, Jul 30, 2013:
Honey, would you take out the trash?
Honey, I'm home.
(countable, informal, usually) A woman, especially an attractive one.
Last thing you wanna do is talk shop at a party, so no artsy-fartsy chitchat. If you need to leave, tap me on my shoulder, and we're outie. Unless I have a honey on the line, in which case, hoof it, capiche? 2019, Mike Oppenhuizen, “Y.G.A.G.G.” (17:13 from the start), in Wendey Stanzler, director, Atypical, season 3, episode 4, spoken by Zahid (Nik Dodani), via Netflix:
It's hard on a fella, when he don't know his way around
If I don't find me a honey to help me spend my money
I'm gonna have to blow this town. 1963, Sam Cooke, “Another Saturday Night”, in Ain't That Good News:
College was wild. I was like a happy little white kid playing in a sandbox full of toys. Honeys, basketball, music, I indulged in all of that shit to the max. And oh yeah. I went to a couple of classes too. I wasn't totally ass-out stupid. 2006, Noire [pseudonym], Thug-A-Licious: An Urban Erotic Tale, New York, N.Y.: One World, Ballantine Books, →ISBN, page 130:
Man, there are some fine honeys here tonight!
(uncountable, usually) A spectrum of pale yellow to brownish-yellow color, like that of most types of (the sweet substance) honey.
jra ia hơni (sweet substance produced by bees) · fi hunajankeltainen (color) · mnw ဍာ်သဲာ (sweet substance produced by bees) · bg сладост (something sweet or desirable) · uga 𐎐𐎁𐎚 (sweet substance produced by bees) · rar meri (sweet substance produced by bees) · umb owiki (sweet substance produced by bees) · wym hung (sweet substance produced by bees) · mt għasel (sweet substance produced by bees) · it miele (sweet substance produced by bees) · mpi mam (sweet substance produced by bees) · mn зөгийн бал (sweet substance produced by bees) · av гьоцӏо (sweet substance produced by bees) · te తేనె (sweet substance produced by bees) · ady суэу (sweet substance produced by bees) · ar عَسُّولَة (informal: attractive woman) · it gioia (term of affection — see also darling) · stq Huunich (sweet substance produced by bees) · bg маце (informal: attractive woman) · jv ꦩꦢꦸ (sweet substance produced by bees) · gun ei (sweet substance produced by bees) · ru медо́вый (color) · ko 밀 (sweet substance produced by bees) · sva თუ (sweet substance produced by bees) · lv mīļais (term of affection — see also darling) · la mel (sweet substance produced by bees) · lo ນ້ຳເຜີ້ງ (sweet substance produced by bees) · clt khyitiy (sweet substance produced by bees) · agj ደምስ (sweet substance produced by bees) · myv медь (sweet substance produced by bees) · krl mezi (sweet substance produced by bees) · bh मधु (sweet substance produced by bees) · kw mel (sweet substance produced by bees) · eo karulino (term of affection — see also darling) · shi tammnt (sweet substance produced by bees) · br mel (sweet substance produced by bees) · ha zama (sweet substance produced by bees) · akk 𒋭 (sweet substance produced by bees) · ms misan (Kedah) (sweet substance produced by bees) · tog uchi class 14 (sweet substance produced by bees) · dz སྦྱང (sweet substance produced by bees) · ms manisan lebah (sweet substance produced by bees) · is hunang (sweet substance produced by bees) · arc ܕܒܫܐ (sweet substance produced by bees) · pt querido (term of affection — see also darling) · or ମହୁ (sweet substance produced by bees) · rm meal (sweet substance produced by bees) · apw gosnih (sweet substance produced by bees) · hy սիրելիս (term of affection — see also darling) · ar عَزِيزَتِي (term of affection — see also darling) · sk med (sweet substance produced by bees) · mk мед (sweet substance produced by bees) · tr bal rengi (color) · inh моз (sweet substance produced by bees) · ang huniġ (sweet substance produced by bees) · ceb dugos (sweet substance produced by bees) · tk bal (sweet substance produced by bees) · sw asali (something sweet or desirable) · ms ningsan (sweet substance produced by bees) · sl med (sweet substance produced by bees) · el γλύκα (term of affection — see also darling) · fa عَزیزَم (term of affection — see also darling) · ta தேனே (term of affection — see also darling) · pt mel (color) · zh 蜜 (sweet substance produced by bees) · ak ɛwo (sweet substance produced by bees) · fur mîl (sweet substance produced by bees) · de Honig (sweet substance produced by bees) · ht siwo myèl (sweet substance produced by bees) · fa عَسَل (sweet substance produced by bees) · fi hunajalaatu (variety of honey) · mdf медь (sweet substance produced by bees) · ms nisan (sweet substance produced by bees) · osa hkilǫ́ɣemąį (sweet substance produced by bees) · gu દીકું (term of affection — see also darling) · os мыд (sweet substance produced by bees) · bg мадама (informal: attractive woman) · tsg tunub (sweet substance produced by bees) · vls zêem (sweet substance produced by bees) · wji suƙwanai (sweet substance produced by bees) · ar عْسل (sweet substance produced by bees) · gmy 𐀕𐀪 (sweet substance produced by bees) · srn oni (sweet substance produced by bees) · wal eessaa (sweet substance produced by bees) · sid malawo (sweet substance produced by bees) · anq ləːw (sweet substance produced by bees) · an miel (sweet substance produced by bees) · tg ангубин (sweet substance produced by bees) · ar عسل (sweet substance produced by bees) · nrf mié (sweet substance produced by bees) · ee anyĩtsi (sweet substance produced by bees) · lad myel (sweet substance produced by bees) · kld warrul (sweet substance produced by bees) · pt mel (sweet substance produced by bees) · pl miód pszczeli (sweet substance produced by bees) · az bal (sweet substance produced by bees) · crh bal (color) · ko 여보 (term of affection — see also darling) · km ទឹកឃ្មុំ (sweet substance produced by bees) · txb mit (sweet substance produced by bees) · el γλυκιά (term of affection — see also darling) · koi ма (sweet substance produced by bees) · ur مَدُھو (sweet substance produced by bees) · ar حَبِيبِي (term of affection — see also darling) · la mel (term of affection — see also darling) · ar عَسَلِيّ (color) · esu paatakaarngalnguq (sweet substance produced by bees) · nv tsísʼná bitłʼizh (sweet substance produced by bees) · ug ھەسەل (sweet substance produced by bees) · ru ми́лая (term of affection — see also darling) · sm meli (sweet substance produced by bees) · et mesi (sweet substance produced by bees) · hsn 蜜糖 (sweet substance produced by bees) · hak 蜂糖 (sweet substance produced by bees) · ta செந்தேன் (term of affection — see also darling) · he חביבתי (term of affection — see also darling) · rgn mél (sweet substance produced by bees) · es tesoro (term of affection — see also darling) · nn honning (sweet substance produced by bees) · tr bal (sweet substance produced by bees) · gez መዓር (sweet substance produced by bees) · zh 寶貝 /宝贝 (term of affection — see also darling) · rm mèl (sweet substance produced by bees) · cs med (sweet substance produced by bees) · dlm mil (sweet substance produced by bees) · ota بال (sweet substance produced by bees) · kam ũkĩ (sweet substance produced by bees) · hi मधु (sweet substance produced by bees) · et kallis (term of affection — see also darling) · ruq m'ari (sweet substance produced by bees) · he דְּבַשׁ (sweet substance produced by bees) · zh фынми (sweet substance produced by bees) · ltg mads (sweet substance produced by bees) · fa شَهْد (sweet substance produced by bees) · mns-nor ма̄г (sweet substance produced by bees) · mn ᠪᠠᠯ (sweet substance produced by bees) · ar عَسَل (sweet substance produced by bees) · id madu (sweet substance produced by bees) · hsb měd (sweet substance produced by bees) · mrj мӱ (sweet substance produced by bees) · nap mmiele (sweet substance produced by bees) · tum uchi (sweet substance produced by bees) · vo miel (sweet substance produced by bees) · tr balım (term of affection — see also darling) · as মৌজোল (sweet substance produced by bees) · nb honning (sweet substance produced by bees) · bo སྦྲང་རྩི (sweet substance produced by bees) · xer ke (sweet substance produced by bees) · sc mele (sweet substance produced by bees) · so malab (sweet substance produced by bees) · tzm ⵜⴰⵎⵎⵏⵜ (sweet substance produced by bees) · ps انګبين (sweet substance produced by bees) · be мёд (sweet substance produced by bees) · co mele (sweet substance produced by bees) · dv މާމުއި (sweet substance produced by bees) · jv madu (sweet substance produced by bees) · it carino (term of affection — see also darling) · goh honag (sweet substance produced by bees) · ms air lebah (sweet substance produced by bees) · ca mel (sweet substance produced by bees) · gd rùn (term of affection — see also darling) · tmr דּוּבְשָׁא (sweet substance produced by bees) · si පැනි (sweet substance produced by bees) · mkf sùkwam (sweet substance produced by bees) · ady шъоу (sweet substance produced by bees) · bg мед (variety of honey) · bal بینگ (sweet substance produced by bees) · frr honning (sweet substance produced by bees) · ur شَہْد (sweet substance produced by bees) · mnc ᡥᡳᠪᠰᡠ (sweet substance produced by bees) · cs drahoušek (term of affection — see also darling) · ks ماچھ (sweet substance produced by bees) · ja ハニー (term of affection — see also darling) · he מותק (term of affection — see also darling) · ru мёд (sweet substance produced by bees) · zh 蜜 (sweet substance produced by bees) · cy mêl (sweet substance produced by bees) · om damma (sweet substance produced by bees) · szl miód (sweet substance produced by bees) · bua бал (sweet substance produced by bees) · ro mieriu (color) · gd rùnag (term of affection — see also darling) · aa malab (sweet substance produced by bees) · fy huning (sweet substance produced by bees) · sw asali (sweet substance produced by bees) · cdo 蜂蜜 (sweet substance produced by bees) · pt querida (term of affection — see also darling) · sh ме̑д (sweet substance produced by bees) · es miel (sweet substance produced by bees) · si පැණි (sweet substance produced by bees) · ti መዓር (sweet substance produced by bees) · rm mêl (sweet substance produced by bees) · nah neuctli (sweet substance produced by bees) · cjy 蜂蜜 (sweet substance produced by bees) · pl (kolor) miodowy (color) · sw asali (color) · ko 꿀 (sweet substance produced by bees) · udm чечы (sweet substance produced by bees) · mn бал (sweet substance produced by bees) · pi madhu (sweet substance produced by bees) · ja 蜂蜜 (sweet substance produced by bees) · ko 자기 (term of affection — see also darling) · ckb ڕۆڵە (term of affection — see also darling) · es cielo (term of affection — see also darling) · tly عسل (sweet substance produced by bees) · rif tamment (sweet substance produced by bees) · dar варъа (sweet substance produced by bees) · tr canım (term of affection — see also darling) · kmr hingiv (sweet substance produced by bees) · he חַבִּיבִּי (term of affection — see also darling) · csb miód (sweet substance produced by bees) · rm mèl d'aviuls (sweet substance produced by bees) · pl miód (sweet substance produced by bees) · mk шеќерче (term of affection — see also darling) · pa ਮਾਖੀ (sweet substance produced by bees) · vot mesi (sweet substance produced by bees) · myv поназ (sweet substance produced by bees) · rue мед (sweet substance produced by bees) · bg мило (term of affection — see also darling) · uk мед (sweet substance produced by bees) · cs zlatíčko (term of affection — see also darling) · nah necti (sweet substance produced by bees) · hy մեղր (sweet substance produced by bees) · bg мацка (informal: attractive woman) · bg мил (term of affection — see also darling) · rm mel (sweet substance produced by bees) · ktb malabu (sweet substance produced by bees) · pa ਸ਼ਹਿਦ (sweet substance produced by bees) · fa اَنْگَبِین (sweet substance produced by bees) · el μελόχρουν (color) · bn মধু (sweet substance produced by bees) · got 𐌼𐌹𐌻𐌹𐌸 (sweet substance produced by bees) · lb Hunneg (sweet substance produced by bees) · li honing (sweet substance produced by bees) · zh 哈你 (term of affection — see also darling) · cjs пал (sweet substance produced by bees) · iu ᒥᓲᑦᑕᒐᖅ (sweet substance produced by bees) · pdt Honnich (sweet substance produced by bees) · sh mȇd (sweet substance produced by bees) · dsb mjod (sweet substance produced by bees) · sw asali (term of affection — see also darling) · sv honung (sweet substance produced by bees) · cs miláček (term of affection — see also darling) · es cariño (term of affection — see also darling) · ar عَسَل (informal: attractive woman) · oc mèl (sweet substance produced by bees) · kmr hingivîn (sweet substance produced by bees) · sw uki (sweet substance produced by bees) · lv medus (sweet substance produced by bees) · he מֹתֶק (term of affection — see also darling) · zh 蜂糖 (sweet substance produced by bees) · ki ũũkĩ (sweet substance produced by bees) · myv вечкемнем (term of affection — see also darling) · ar شَهْد (sweet substance produced by bees) · qu misk'i (sweet substance produced by bees) · gv mill (sweet substance produced by bees) · nl honing (sweet substance produced by bees) · bg мед (sweet substance produced by bees) · se miehta (sweet substance produced by bees) · rw ubuki (sweet substance produced by bees) · scn meli (sweet substance produced by bees) · izh meto (sweet substance produced by bees) · chr ᏩᏚᎵᏏ (sweet substance produced by bees) · mr मध (sweet substance produced by bees) · ru ду́шенька (term of affection — see also darling) · ta தேன் (sweet substance produced by bees) · vec miel (sweet substance produced by bees) · ga mil (sweet substance produced by bees) · trv beyuq (sweet substance produced by bees) · kk бал (sweet substance produced by bees) · nds Honnig (sweet substance produced by bees) · izh kultoin (term of affection — see also darling) · da skat (term of affection — see also darling) · smn mietâ (sweet substance produced by bees) · ko 봉밀 (sweet substance produced by bees) · uk мід (sweet substance produced by bees) · rsk мед (sweet substance produced by bees) · pa شَہَد (sweet substance produced by bees) · haw meli (sweet substance produced by bees) · ruo mľåre (sweet substance produced by bees) · dta kyor (sweet substance produced by bees) · fi misu (informal: attractive woman) · th น้ำผึ้ง (sweet substance produced by bees) · pdc Hunnich (sweet substance produced by bees) · mdh teneb (sweet substance produced by bees) · xmf თოფური (sweet substance produced by bees) · zh 蜂蜜 (sweet substance produced by bees) · pl laska (informal: attractive woman) · bua зүгын бал (sweet substance produced by bees) · es dulzura (something sweet or desirable) · pa ماکھی (sweet substance produced by bees) · rm mel d'avieuls (sweet substance produced by bees) · ps عسل (sweet substance produced by bees) · rm meil d'aviöls (sweet substance produced by bees) · gug eirete (sweet substance produced by bees) · xal бал (sweet substance produced by bees) · sa मधु (sweet substance produced by bees) · ccc mishki (sweet substance produced by bees) · lad מייל (sweet substance produced by bees) · ja あなた (term of affection — see also darling) · ps شهد (sweet substance produced by bees) · sga mil (sweet substance produced by bees) · tet bani-been (sweet substance produced by bees) · ur اَن٘گَبِین (sweet substance produced by bees) · wuu 蜂蜜 (sweet substance produced by bees) · ru голу́бушка (term of affection — see also darling) · lol mpako (sweet substance produced by bees) · rup njare (sweet substance produced by bees) · lt medùs (sweet substance produced by bees) · cu ⰿⰵⰴⱏ (sweet substance produced by bees) · mrw teneb (sweet substance produced by bees) · tl pulut-pukyutan (sweet substance produced by bees) · lo ມະທຸ (sweet substance produced by bees) · zh 蜂蜜 (sweet substance produced by bees) · io karo (term of affection — see also darling) · ms madu (sweet substance produced by bees) · fr miel (sweet substance produced by bees) · ny uchi (sweet substance produced by bees) · grc μέλῐ (sweet substance produced by bees) · eo karulo (term of affection — see also darling) · wa låme (sweet substance produced by bees) · alt бал (sweet substance produced by bees) · nrf myi (sweet substance produced by bees) · xcl մեղր (sweet substance produced by bees) · szl mjodek (sweet substance produced by bees) · lez виртӏ (sweet substance produced by bees) · ro miere (sweet substance produced by bees) · os муд (sweet substance produced by bees) · ur عَسَل (sweet substance produced by bees) · zdj ndjizi ya nyoshi (sweet substance produced by bees) · tr tatlım (term of affection — see also darling) · tg шахд (sweet substance produced by bees) · kac lagat jahku (sweet substance produced by bees) · lt medus (sweet substance produced by bees) · sah мүөт (sweet substance produced by bees) · izh mesi (sweet substance produced by bees) · ky бал (sweet substance produced by bees) · am ማር (sweet substance produced by bees) · new कस्ति (sweet substance produced by bees) · gl mel (sweet substance produced by bees) · ff njuumri (sweet substance produced by bees) · bg меден (color) · hi शहद (sweet substance produced by bees) · ps شات (sweet substance produced by bees) · cu медъ (sweet substance produced by bees) · udm му (sweet substance produced by bees) · egy L2-t-W24:Z2 (sweet substance produced by bees) · el μέλι (sweet substance produced by bees) · am ማር (term of affection — see also darling) · el μελί (color) · ar عَسَل (sweet substance produced by bees) · fi hunaja (variety of honey) · yao uci class 14 (sweet substance produced by bees) · vep mezi (sweet substance produced by bees) · ka თაფლი (sweet substance produced by bees) · shu عسل (sweet substance produced by bees) · fa عَسَل (sweet substance produced by bees) · sw asali (informal: attractive woman) · ab ацха (sweet substance produced by bees) · ckb ھەنگوین (sweet substance produced by bees) · kn ಜೇನು (sweet substance produced by bees) · hu méz (sweet substance produced by bees) · tpn eíra (sweet substance produced by bees) · hil dugos (sweet substance produced by bees) · zh 親愛的 /亲爱的 (term of affection — see also darling) · ff 𞤲𞥋𞤶𞤵𞥅𞤥𞤪𞤭 (sweet substance produced by bees) · fi hunaja (sweet substance produced by bees) · phn 𐤍𐤐𐤕 (sweet substance produced by bees) · as মৌ (sweet substance produced by bees) · ay misk'i (sweet substance produced by bees) · ba бал (sweet substance produced by bees) · fa اَنْگَبین (sweet substance produced by bees) · yi האָניק (sweet substance produced by bees) · bg мила (term of affection — see also darling) · ce моз (sweet substance produced by bees) · eu ezti (sweet substance produced by bees) · ps ګبينه (sweet substance produced by bees) · lij amê (sweet substance produced by bees) · fo hunangur (sweet substance produced by bees) · gd mil (sweet substance produced by bees) · chy háhnomápano'ėhasēō'o (sweet substance produced by bees) · yue 蜜糖 (sweet substance produced by bees) · fi makeus (something sweet or desirable) · win heezik taanįžu (sweet substance produced by bees) · it tesoro (term of affection — see also darling) · fi kultaseni (term of affection — see also darling) · fa اَنْگُبین (sweet substance produced by bees) · uz asal (sweet substance produced by bees) · fo hunang (sweet substance produced by bees) · sq mjaltë (sweet substance produced by bees) · tg асал (sweet substance produced by bees) · vi mật ong (sweet substance produced by bees) · ttj obwoki class 14 (sweet substance produced by bees) · ia melle (sweet substance produced by bees) · duo habu (sweet substance produced by bees) · nyu uci class 14 (sweet substance produced by bees) · mhr мӱй (sweet substance produced by bees) · kpv ма (sweet substance produced by bees) · ml തേൻ (sweet substance produced by bees) · dz སྦྲང་རྩི (sweet substance produced by bees) · zza hıngımên (sweet substance produced by bees) · da honning (sweet substance produced by bees) · my ပျားရည် (sweet substance produced by bees) · cv пыл (sweet substance produced by bees) · gu મધુ (sweet substance produced by bees) · mg fandrama (sweet substance produced by bees) · tt бал (sweet substance produced by bees) · lmo mel (sweet substance produced by bees) · af heuning (sweet substance produced by bees) · bal شہد (sweet substance produced by bees) · lld mil (sweet substance produced by bees) · ca dolçor (something sweet or desirable) · es miel (color) · io mielo (sweet substance produced by bees) · fa شَهْد (sweet substance produced by bees) · xda kûdyung (sweet substance produced by bees) · mba duga (sweet substance produced by bees) · ne मह (sweet substance produced by bees) · tpn eireté (sweet substance produced by bees) · prg meddo (sweet substance produced by bees) · vro mesi (sweet substance produced by bees) · rhg moudu (sweet substance produced by bees) · non hunang (sweet substance produced by bees) · eo mielo (sweet substance produced by bees) · lv mīļā (term of affection — see also darling) · crh bal (sweet substance produced by bees) · kbd фо (sweet substance produced by bees) · ast miel (sweet substance produced by bees) · ln nzoi (sweet substance produced by bees) · es cari (term of affection — see also darling) · nrf miel (sweet substance produced by bees) · kab tament (sweet substance produced by bees) · evn мё̄д (sweet substance produced by bees) · rup njari (sweet substance produced by bees) · lg bóí (sweet substance produced by bees)
From Middle English hony, honi, from Old English huniġ, from Proto-West Germanic *hunag, from Proto-Germanic *hunagą (compare Saterland Frisian Hunich, West Frisian hunich, German Low German Honnig, German Honig), from earlier *hunangą (compare North Frisian honning, hönning, West Frisian huning, Dutch honing, Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, and Norwegian Nynorsk honning, Swedish honung, Faroese hunangur, Icelandic hunang), from Proto-Indo-European *kn̥h₂onk-o-s, from *kn̥h₂ónks.
Cognate with Middle Welsh canecon (“gold”), Latin canicae pl (“bran”), Tocharian B kronkśe (“bee”), Albanian qengjë (“beehive”), Ancient Greek κνῆκος (knêkos, “safflower”), Northern Kurdish şan (“beehive”), Northern Luri گونج (gonj, “bee”), Finnish hunaja.
Meanings
(transitive) To sweeten; to make agreeable.
(transitive) To add honey to.
(intransitive) To be gentle, agreeable, or coaxing; to talk fondly; to use endearments.
Honeying and making love. c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv]:
(intransitive) To be or become obsequiously courteous or complimentary; to fawn.
[O]ne / Discuss'd his tutor, rough to common men / But honeying at the whisper of a lord; / And one the Master, as a rogue in grain / Veneer'd with sanctimonious theory. 1847, Alfred Tennyson, “Prologue”, in The Princess: A Medley, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 6: