honeysuckle

noun

hon·​ey·​suck·​le ˈhə-nē-ˌsə-kəl How to pronounce honeysuckle (audio)
: any of a genus (Lonicera of the family Caprifoliaceae, the honeysuckle family) of shrubs with opposite leaves and fragrant tubular flowers rich in nectar
broadly : any of various plants (such as a columbine or azalea) with tubular flowers rich in nectar

Illustration of honeysuckle

Illustration of honeysuckle

Examples of honeysuckle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The fluffiness of the marshmallow, combined with the sweetness of honeysuckle and vanilla, gives the fragrance a playful element. Venus Wong, refinery29.com, 13 Aug. 2024 This native honeysuckle is a much better choice than the sweetly scented but invasive Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica). Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Aug. 2024 The dress, in a shade of plum purple, featured an array of flowers including tulips, daffodils and honeysuckle. Julia Teti, WWD, 6 Aug. 2024 Even the aromas were on point, a subtly sweet melange of honeysuckle, sandalwood, and perhaps a touch of vanilla. Paul Jebara, Travel + Leisure, 25 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for honeysuckle 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'honeysuckle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English honysoukel clover, alteration of honysouke, from Old English hunisūce, from hunig honey + sūcan to suck

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of honeysuckle was in 1548

Dictionary Entries Near honeysuckle

Cite this Entry

“Honeysuckle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/honeysuckle. Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

honeysuckle

noun
hon·​ey·​suck·​le -ˌsək-əl How to pronounce honeysuckle (audio)
: any of a genus of shrubs having fragrant tube-shaped flowers rich in nectar

More from Merriam-Webster on honeysuckle

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