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

When a boy with a strange honeycomb pattern on his stomach was brought into the University Hospitals of Leicester emergency department, nursing staff suspected a case of spontaneous bruising. — Mike McRae 09, New Atlas, 9 Sep. 2026

Her hair, however, juxtaposed the cool weather gear, adding a touch of warmth with its honeycomb coloring and wild waves that appeared dried from the ocean. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026

Verb

Its most prominent feature was the Rock, a small mountain honeycombed with thirty-four miles of tunnels that housed some sixteen thousand British servicemen as well as an American liaison office. — Literary Hub, 31 Aug. 2026

This would require prohibiting DSA members from joining their party and throwing out the DSA members already honeycombed within it. — James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 21 July 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