honey
/ˈhʌni/
noun
Origin
Proto-Germanic
*hunangą — honey
Overview
Meaning Now
- A sweet, viscous, yellowish-brown fluid produced by bees from the nectar of flowers.
- A term of endearment for a beloved person.
Literal older meaning
the golden or yellow thing
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Proto-Germanic → Old English → Modern English
Earliest form
hunig
Earliest period
Old English period
Journey
Honey was the primary sweetener available in Northern Europe before the widespread availability of cane sugar, making it a highly valuable commodity in medieval society.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*hunangą
“honey”
- Old English
hunig
“honey”
- Middle English
hony
“honey”
- Modern English
honey
“honey”
Connections
Word parts
honey
root
honey
Related across languages
Old Norse
hunang
honey
German
Honig
honey
Dutch
honing
honey
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.