honeycomb

1 of 2

noun

hon·​ey·​comb ˈhə-nē-ˌkōm 

1

: a mass of hexagonal wax cells built by honeybees in their nest to contain their brood and stores of honey

2

: something that resembles a honeycomb in structure or appearance

especially : a strong lightweight cellular structural material

honeycomb

2 of 2

verb

honeycombed; honeycombing; honeycombs

transitive verb

1

a

: to cause to be full of cavities like a honeycomb

b

: to make into a checkered pattern : fret

2

a

: to penetrate into every part : fill

b

: subvert, weaken

intransitive verb

: to become pitted, checked, or cellular

Examples of honeycomb in a Sentence

Noun

One of the honeycombs was empty.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Its porous white surface, which looks almost like honeycomb against the desert, was shaped millions of years ago when this part of Mangystau lay beneath the ancient Tethys Sea. — Avantika Chaturvedi, Architectural Digest, 5 Nov. 2026

The image appears to include a shiny brain, a blue tube resembling a sea creature, fleshy tissue, and a yellow sac that could be a honeycomb, coral, earwax—in short, anything. — Alfredo Toriello, Vanity Fair, 28 Oct. 2026

Verb

Some layers, like sandstone, contain honeycombed pores capable of holding CO2, while others, like mudstone, can act as impermeable seals, trapping the buoyant gas underground. — Katie Worth, ProPublica, 30 Oct. 2026

Epoxy resin impregnates and binds the reinforcing layers, helping turn the separate fiber skins and honeycomb into one stiff, lightweight structure. — New Atlas, 6 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1735, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for honeycomb

• acrosome
• aerodrome
• catacomb
• centrosome
• chromosome
• cytochrome
• hippodrome
• liposome
• meerschaum
• metronome
• microtome
• monochrome

Kids Definition

honeycomb

1 of 2 noun

hon·​ey·​comb -ˌkōm 

1

: a mass of six-sided wax cells built by honeybees in their nest to contain young bees and stores of honey

2

: something that resembles a honeycomb in structure or appearance

honeycomb

2 of 2 verb

: to make or become full of holes like a honeycomb

Medical Definition

honeycomb

noun

hon·​ey·​comb -ˌkōm 

: reticulum sense 1