honeycomb
honeycomb Lexical Profile
honeycomb Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A structure of closely packed hexagonal wax cells built by honeybees in their nest to contain their brood and store honey.
"The beekeeper carefully lifted the frame to extract the fresh honeycomb from the hive."
Any structure, pattern, or design that resembles the hexagonal, cellular arrangement of a bee's comb.
"The engineers used a honeycomb lattice inside the aerospace panels to maximize strength while minimizing weight."
• verb
To penetrate or fill a solid mass with numerous cavities, tunnels, or holes.
"Decades of extensive coal mining had honeycombed the mountain with dangerous shafts."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'hunigcamb', a compound of 'hunig' (honey) and 'camb' (comb). The word 'comb' was applied to the wax structure due to its visual resemblance to the teeth of a hair comb or a crest.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.