honeycomb
Elementary (A2)
IPA: /ˈhʌniˌkoʊm/
KK: /ˈhʌniˌkoʊm/
noun
Definition
A structure made of hexagonal cells created by bees from wax, used to store honey and their young.
Example
The beekeeper carefully removed the honeycomb from the hive to collect the honey.
Conversation
Have you ever seen a real honeycomb?
Yeah, I saw one at the farmer's market last week!
They look so cool, like nature's little hexagonal design.
Exactly! And the honey inside is usually so delicious.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
cell
structure
framework
Antonyms
solid
mass
whole
transitive verb
Definition
To create a structure that has many small holes or compartments, similar to the pattern found in a honeycomb.
Example
The artist decided to honeycomb the surface of the sculpture to give it a unique texture.
Tense Forms
Past: honeycombed
Past Participle: honeycombed
Conversation
Did you see how they honeycomb the walls of that old building?
Yeah, it looks so interesting with all those patterns!
I wonder if they did it for decoration or if there's a purpose.
Root Explanation
Honeycomb → The word is formed from "honey" (from Old English *hunig*, meaning a sweet substance produced by bees) and "comb" (from Old English *camb*, meaning a structure or framework). The term "honeycomb" refers to the structure made by bees to store honey.
Memory Tip
Think of bees creating a 'framework' ('comb') to hold their 'sweet substance' ('honey') — that's why honeycomb is the structure that holds honey.
Visually Confused Words
No commonly confused words.