honeycomb

noun

hon·ey·comb | \ ˈhə-nē-ˌkōm

Definition of honeycomb

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

verb

honeycombed; honeycombing; honeycombs

Definition of honeycomb (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to cause to be full of cavities like a honeycomb

b : to make into a checkered pattern : fret

2a : 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

Woodstoves come in two basic types: with and without a catalyst, which is a honeycomb-like baffle plated with precious metals (left in the image). — Roy Berendson, Popular Mechanics, "The Ultimate Guide To Cutting and Splitting Firewood," 28 Sep. 2018 Centuries of Roman history lie buried in the darkness in layers stretching down to 8.5 meters (27.89 feet) below the modern floor of the cathedral, and the subterranean archaeological sites are like a honeycomb through the city’s Caelian Hill. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "Archaeologists map centuries of history beneath world’s oldest cathedral," 30 Nov. 2018 The engines, seven in total, are in a honeycomb pattern at the base. — Condé Nast Traveler, "SpaceX Announcement: Yusaku Maezawa Is First Tourist to Fly to the Moon," 17 Sep. 2018 Gubler painted each honeycomb on the far right in the original shade of pink, red, and orange, then began to dilute them with white paint to create an ombré effect. — Sienna Fantozzi, House Beautiful, "Calling It: This Is The New Shiplap," 9 Oct. 2018 Inside, an electric pop-top roof made from lightweight honeycomb construction boasts a breathable tent that expands interior headroom. — Megan Barber, Curbed, "Burly truck camper is expedition ready," 6 Aug. 2018 Eric Ball used to chew on honeycombs as treat from his grandmother, and like most people, enjoys a bit of honey on his biscuits. — Jim Owczarski, Cincinnati.com, "How, and why, a former Cincinnati Bengals running back turned into a beekeeper," 9 July 2018 Minor changes to the Yaris sedan’s mug relative to its Yaris iA antecedent include a new honeycomb-style grille and available LED headlights. — Greg Fink, Car and Driver, "2019 Toyota Yaris Sedan Revealed: iA No More," 27 Mar. 2018 The modal material is extra soft, while the honeycomb lace on the neckline and legs give this piece a hint of elegance. — Maria Cassano, Allure, "Journelle's Semi-Annual Sale Is Offering 50% Off on Bras, Underwear, and More," 14 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The freshwater canals that once honeycombed through the city earned it the name the Venice of the East. — Nabih Bulos, latimes.com, "Basra was once a jewel of a city. Now it's a symbol what's wrong in Iraq," 17 June 2018 They were honeycombed, more air than wood, chewed hollow by worms. — Earl Swift, Outside Online, "The Incredible True Story of the Henrietta C.," 20 June 2018 But most of the residents live in brick or concrete block dwellings along alleys and stairways that honeycomb the sides of Two Brothers Mountain. — Mimi Whitefield, miamiherald, "Young journalists bring the reailty of Brazil's favelas to print | Miami Herald," 17 Oct. 2017 Zinke has looked around his department and finds that it is honeycombed with traitors. — Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, "If You Know What You're Talking About, Get Out," 26 Sep. 2017 Britain is honeycombed with secretive institutions, particularly public schools and Oxbridge colleges, which have their own private languages. — The Economist, "To understand Britain, read its spy novels," 9 Sep. 2017 Morels are prized because of their unbeatable combination of flavor (full and hearty) and texture (honeycombed and sort of spongy). — Daniel Neman, sacbee.com, "Fungus in the kitchen? Delicious when it’s mushrooms," 13 June 2017 Lost in the haze are the concrete-block dormitories honeycombed with closet-size rooms that house migrant workers. — Peter S. Goodman, New York Times, "As Dubai’s Skyline Adds a Trophy, the Architect Calls It Stolen," 8 Mar. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'honeycomb.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.