• IPA: /ˈhʌni/

honey (uncountable)

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. (rare) Nectar.
4. (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.

   • 1613, William Shakespeare; [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act III, scene ii]:

     the honey of his language

5. A term of affection.

   Honey, would you take out the trash?

   Honey, I'm home.

6. (countable, informal) A woman, especially an attractive one.

   Man, there are some fine honeys here tonight!

7. A spectrum of pale yellow to brownish-yellow colour, like that of most types of (the sweet substance) honey.

    

• (sweet fluid from bees) mel
• (term of affection) darling, sweetie, see also Thesaurus:sweetheart

• French: miel
• German: Honig
• Italian: miele
• Portuguese: mel
• Russian: мёд
• Spanish: miel

• Spanish: dulzura

• French: chéri, chérie
• German: Schatz
• Italian: carino, tesoro, gioia
• Portuguese: querida, querido
• Russian: ду́шенька
• Spanish: cariño, tesoro, cari

• Portuguese: mel
• Russian: медо́вый
• Spanish: miel

honey (not comparable)

1. Involving or resembling honey.
   • 1599 William Shakespeare, Henry V, act 1, scene 2:

     So work the honey-bees, / Creatures that by a rule in nature teach / The act of order to a peopled kingdom.

2. Of a pale yellow to brownish-yellow colour, like most types of honey.

• Russian: медо́вый

honey (honeys, present participle honeying; past and past participle honeyed)

1. (transitive) To sweeten; to make agreeable.
2. (intransitive) To be gentle, agreeable, or coaxing; to talk fondly; to use endearments.
   • c. 1599–1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act III, scene iv]:

     Honeying and making love.

3. (intransitive) To be or become obsequiously courteous or complimentary; to fawn.
   • 1847, Alfred Tennyson, The Princess: A Medley, London: Edward Moxon, […], OCLC 2024748 ↗, prologue, page 6 ↗:

     [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.

• honey badger
• honey bear
• honey bucket
• honey bun
• honey bunch
• honey decoction
• honey dipper
• honey drizzler
• honey fungus
• honey guide
• honey locust
• honey mesquite
• honey mouse
• honey myrtle
• honey parrot
• honey plant
• honey-buzzard
• honeycomb moth
• honeydew melon
• land of milk and honey
• western honey mesquite

1. Surname