honeysuckle
/ˈhʌnɪsʌk(ə)l/
honeysuckle means any of the many species of arching shrubs and climbing vines of the genus Lonicera in the Caprifoliaceae family, many with sweet-smelling, bell-shaped flowers.
honeysuckle is pronounced /ˈhʌnɪsʌk(ə)l/.
Why “honeysuckle” is a great word
Any of numerous arching shrubs or climbing vines of the genus Lonicera, known for their sweet-smelling, tubular flowers from which nectar can be drawn. From Middle English *honysokel*, an alteration of earlier Middle English *honysoke*, from Old English *huniġsūce* ("honeysuckle"), a compound of *huniġ* ("honey") + *sūcan* ("to suck"), referring to the sweet nectar; first recorded in English c. 1300. Unlike "woodbine," which specifies certain climbing species, or "jasmine," which belongs to a wholly different botanical family, honeysuckle names the entire genus with its particular, gentle sweetness. It is the heavy, sugared air of a summer dusk, the pale trumpet you pluck to taste a single drop of stolen gold on your tongue, the green, twining weight on a forgotten fence—a humble luxury, freely given, that teaches the art of drawing quiet delight from the world.
Etymology
From Middle English honysokel, honisokel, honysocle, hunisuccle, perhaps an alteration of Middle English honysoke, honysouke (“honeysuckle”) (whence honeysuck), from Old English huniġsūce, huniġsūge (“honeysuckle”); equivalent to honey + suck + -le, or honeysuck + -le.
noun
- Any of the many species of arching shrubs and climbing vines of the genus Lonicera in the Caprifoliaceae family, many with sweet-smelling, bell-shaped flowers.“There was nothing of that luxuriance of blossom which had hitherto clothed the wood, for there were no hawthorns; but the bog-myrtle imparted its tender fragrance, and the caressing honeysuckle wound round many an ancient trunk, odours exhaling from every fairy-like tube—fit trumpets for the heralds of Titania.”
- Any of several species of superficially similar plants from Australia.“Bothered by the conviction of making no impression on her, he pulled up at a strip of road shaded by tall spotted gums, blackbutt, and honeysuckle, and produced a packet of cigarettes. "About time for a smoke-O," he said, "Have a fag, Cora."”
- Any of several species of superficially similar plants from Australia.; Banksia aquilonia (northern banksia).
- Any of several species of superficially similar plants from Australia.; Banksia integrifolia (coast banksia).
- Any of several species of superficially similar plants from Australia.; Banksia marginata (silver banksia).
- Any of several species of superficially similar plants from Australia.; Banksia serrata (red honeysuckle).
- Any of several species of superficially similar plants from Australia.; Lambertia multiflora (many-flowered honeysuckle).
name
- A female given name.
- A suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
- The ship of characters Kim and Basil from the video game Omori.
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- caprifole 87% match — The woodbine or honeysuckle. vs honeysuckle →
- eglantine 80% match — A Eurasian rose (Rosa rubiginosa, syn. Rosa eglanteria), having prickly stems, fragrant leaves, pink flowers and red hips. vs honeysuckle →
- passionflower 80% match — Any of very many vines, in North America and elsewhere, of the genus Passiflora that bear edible fruit called passion fruit, and showy flowers of a structure symbolic of the Passion of Christ. vs honeysuckle →
- lilac 80% match — A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers. vs honeysuckle →
- osmanthus 79% match — Any of several widely distributed evergreen flowering plants, of the genus Osmanthus. vs honeysuckle →
- nectar 79% match — The drink of the gods. vs honeysuckle →
- oleander 79% match — Nerium oleander, a notoriously poisonous shrub in the dogbane family, Apocynaceae, but nonetheless widely grown as an ornamental, having leathery lance-shaped leaves and deep rose-colored or white flowers. vs honeysuckle →
- peony 79% match — A flowering plant of the genus Paeonia with large fragrant flowers. vs honeysuckle →