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

HyCOMB took the original thick slabs of marble from the outside of the First National Bank and sliced them down to a thinner veneer that is adhered to a metal honeycomb. — Steve Brown, Dallas News, "Downtown Dallas' landmark First National Bank tower is getting its restored marble exterior two years after removal," 17 June 2019 Stratocumulus clouds are patchy, gray and white, and usually resemble a honeycomb. — Catherine Zuckerman, National Geographic, "Clouds, explained," 24 Apr. 2019 Bontrager Blaze WaveCel Mountain Bike Helmet This helmet's honeycomb inner lining is made from a new material called WaveCel. — Stephanie Pearson, WIRED, "Top 3 Bike Helmets for 2019," 24 June 2019 The crowning attraction of New York City's new luxury neighborhood Hudson Yards is a weird geometric structure called the Vessel, which looms over the 28-acre complex in midtown Manhattan like a giant honeycomb. — Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, "The Vessel, New York City's Newest Tourist Trap, Plans to Use Your Photos as Marketing Fodder," 19 Mar. 2019 In addition to focusing on the keeping-cold issue, the company upgraded its caps with a new honeycomb insulation pattern and steel lugs for strength. — Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, "Why Are Hydro Flask Bottles Suddenly Everywhere?," 23 Feb. 2019 These 100 percent cotton towels have all of these benefits thanks to an extra-large waffle weave with deep honeycomb pockets and wide edges, allowing you to save energy, water, time, and money. Don't worry! — Taylor Mead, House Beautiful, "These Smart Towels Are Naturally Antibacterial, so They’ll Never Smell," 8 May 2019 The tent’s roof is made from a translucent honeycomb composite that allows daylight to illuminate the interior, and its fabric body is PVC-backed, for long-lasting, and total weather protection. — Wes Siler, Outside Online, "A Better Rooftop Tent That's a Camper, Too," 3 Apr. 2018 The researchers chose to use a ribbon of a graphene double-layer (graphene is a single layer of graphene with the carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb pattern). — Chris Lee, Ars Technica, "High-density lithium in graphene: An intriguing battery possibility," 29 Nov. 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.