honeydew

noun

hon·​ey·​dew ˈhə-nē-ˌdü 

-ˌdyü

1

: a saccharine deposit secreted on the leaves of plants usually by aphids or scale insects or sometimes by a fungus

2

: honeydew melon

Examples of honeydew in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This idea was tested on five commodity fruits — cantaloupe, honeydew, mango, pineapple, watermelon — to great success: among fruit that would have gone to waste, 53.2% was recovered. —Steven Savage, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025

Common flavors include white peach, pear, honeydew, honeysuckle, and sometimes a touch of citrus zest. —Emily Price, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025

Their main food sources are energy-rich liquids, such as the honeydew produced by insects like scale bugs and mealybugs and nectar secreted from specialized glands on plants. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025

Aphids excrete the sap as honeydew, leaving leaves sticky and susceptible to sooty mold. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1526, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing honeydew

• honeydew melon

Rhymes for honeydew

• amadou
• avenue
• ballyhoo
• baraboo
• barbecue
• barbeque
• bugaboo
• cabildo
• caribou
• cockatoo
• detinue
• devalue

Kids Definition

honeydew

noun

hon·​ey·​dew ˈhən-ē-ˌd(y)ü 

1

: a sugary substance deposited on the leaves of plants usually by aphids or scale insects or sometimes by a fungus

2

: honeydew melon