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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The palate features orange marmalade and honeysuckle with layers of nutmeg and cinnamon. Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024 Distinctly bright, the fragrance features top notes of ruby-red grapefruit and mandarin and base notes of honeysuckle and lily of the valley; you'll be obsessed. Annie Blackman, Allure, 2 Dec. 2024 Light floral notes of honeysuckle and jasmine add a delicate complexity to the nose. Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024 To maximize the benefits to wildlife, plant coral honeysuckle near a birdbath or bird feeder. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for honeysuckle 

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 30 Dec. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!