honeysuckle

[ huhn-ee-suhk-uhl ]

noun

1. any of numerous North American and Eurasian shrubs or twining vines of the honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae), many species of which are hardy climbers known for their highly fragrant tubular flowers, especially those of genus Lonicera.

honeysuckle

/ ˈhʌnɪˌsʌkəl /

noun

1. any temperate caprifoliaceous shrub or vine of the genus Lonicera: cultivated for their fragrant white, yellow, or pink tubular flowers
2. any of several similar plants
3. any of various Australian trees or shrubs of the genus Banksia, having flowers in dense spikes: family Proteaceae

Derived Forms

• ˈhoneyˌsuckled, adjective

Other Words From

• hon·ey·suck·led adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of honeysuckle¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English honisoukel, equivalent to honisouke + -el; honey, suck, -le

Word History and Origins

Origin of honeysuckle¹

Old English hunigsūce, from honey + suck ; see suckle

Example Sentences

It features classic grüner flavors of jasmine, honeysuckle and lemongrass with a mouth-filling, voluptuous texture.

From Washington Post

You’ll find the racy grassiness of New World savvie here, but the viognier lends a softness that smooths the aggressive edge and adds bucolic aromas of jasmine and honeysuckle in the background.

From Washington Post

On the porch at Ingleside the honeysuckle and climbing roses were bursting into radiant bloom.

From Project Gutenberg

He smelled the fragrance of wild honeysuckle, the sharp, sweet smells blown out of the forest that drowsed in the summer heat.

From Project Gutenberg

“I think,” replied Annie, “that it is wild honeysuckle,” and her voice trembled slightly.

From Project Gutenberg

The scent of wild honeysuckle and cluster roses came from the hedgerows.

From Project Gutenberg

And there grow in wild profusion the scented hedges of honeysuckle and roses.

From Project Gutenberg

More About Honeysuckle

What is honeysuckle?

Honeysuckle is a climbing or upright shrub with fragrant white, yellow, pink, or red tubular flowers.

This flower can also be called a honeysuckle. They are known for having a sweet drop of nectar that you can get by pulling the stamen out of the base of the flower blossom. However, other parts of the plant can be toxic if ingested.

There are many different species of honeysuckle, including Diervilla lonicera and Lonicera periclymenum. Any species in the genus Lornicera can be called honeysuckle.

Names for some varieties of honeysuckle include woodbine and common honeysuckle.

The honeysuckle is one of the June birth flowers (a flower that’s associated with a particular month in the same way as a birthstone).

Example: The kids made a bouquet of wild honeysuckle flowers that they found in the woods.

Where does honeysuckle come from?

The first records of the word honeysuckle come from the 1200s. It comes from the Middle English honiesoukel, equivalent to the Old English hunigsūce, both of which are a combination of words meaning “honey” and “suck” or “suckle.” The name is a reference to the practice of sucking the flowers’ honeylike nectar.

Honeysuckles are native to temperate zones and can be evergreen or deciduous, meaning that some species retain their leaves during seasonal transitions while others shed them. They are known for attracting pollinator species, including hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.

Did you know … ?

What are some synonyms for honeysuckle?

• woodbine (a specific variety of honeysuckle)

What are some words that share a root or word element with honeysuckle? 

• honey
• suck
• suckle

What are some words that often get used in discussing honeysuckle?

• flower
• bush
• nectar
• native
• invasive
• June

How is honeysuckle used in real life?

Honeysuckles are known for their fragrant blossoms and the sweet nectar that can be sucked from them.

Saw some young kids eating the nectar from honeysuckle flowers today. Glad that practice is still alive…I did it as a kid myself long ago.

— Scott N. (@Sealgmg2) September 8, 2013

I just finished picking a bouquet of honeysuckle and lilac, beating my weeds into submission, and trimming roses. Now it's raining. Eeeeeep.

— ruth raymond (@ruthlesscrab) May 5, 2009

The other #June Birth Flower is #Honeysuckle, which is a strong symbol for the everlasting bonds of love.
Honeysuckle flowers are magnets for hummingbirds! There are shrub forms of honeysuckle, which make great hedges, and there are vining forms such as the trumpet honeysuckle. pic.twitter.com/oFSXGFa9D2

— 🌸 Sophie 🌼 (@lacsd) June 1, 2020

Try using honeysuckle!

True or False?

There are many different species of honeysuckle.