honeydew: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1neutral
Quick answer
What does “honeydew” mean?
A sweet, sticky substance secreted by aphids and some scale insects that feeds on plant sap.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A sweet, sticky substance secreted by aphids and some scale insects that feeds on plant sap.
1. A type of melon with smooth, pale skin and sweet, light green flesh. 2. A sweet, sticky liquid or substance reminiscent of honey.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning. Spelling is consistent.
Connotations
Primarily neutral. In both regions, 'honeydew melon' is a common grocery item.
Frequency
Equally used for the melon. The insect secretion sense is more frequent in technical/biological contexts globally.
Grammar
How to Use “honeydew” in a Sentence
The [noun] excretes/secretes honeydew.We ate [determiner] honeydew (melon).Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “honeydew” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The table was sticky with honeydew residue.
American English
- She prefers a honeydew smoothie in the summer.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except perhaps in agricultural trade (e.g., 'honeydew melon imports').
Academic
Used in biology/entomology texts describing insect-plant interactions.
Everyday
Almost exclusively refers to the melon (e.g., shopping, recipes).
Technical
Precise term in entomology for the sugary excretion of sap-feeding insects.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “honeydew”
- Using 'honeydew' to mean plain honey. *'I put honeydew on my toast.' (Incorrect unless it's a fanciful description of actual honey).
- Misspelling as 'honey due'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. In everyday language, it usually is. In biology, it refers to a sugary liquid secreted by insects like aphids.
No, it is only a noun (and can function attributively as an adjective, e.g., 'honeydew melon').
There is no direct biological connection. The melon is named for its sweet, juicy quality, which is metaphorically similar to the sweet insect secretion.
It's pronounced /ˈhʌn.i.duː/, with the final syllable rhyming with 'do' or 'too'.
A sweet, sticky substance secreted by aphids and some scale insects that feeds on plant sap.
Honeydew is usually neutral in register.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of DEW that's as sweet as HONEY. Aphids leave this sweet 'dew' on plants, and the melon is juicy like dew and sweet like honey.
Conceptual Metaphor
SWEETNESS IS DESIRABLE / STICKINESS IS UNCLEAN (for the insect secretion).
Practice
Quiz
In an everyday supermarket context, 'honeydew' most likely refers to: