Honeycomb

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈhʌnikəʊm/

Definitions

1. A geometric formation made of hexagonal cells constructed by bees that serves as a storage system for honey and pollen as well as a nursery for their offspring
2. An elaborate design composed of interlocking hexagons that bees create to store nectar and pollen while also providing a space for raising their young
3. A structured network of hexagonal compartments created by bees, which functions both as a repository for nectar and pollen and as a breeding area for larvae

Etymology: Bees build their wax cells in a hexagonal pattern, and English has long named that structure after the two things it is made of: honey and the comb, the toothed tool used for untangling hair. Old English "huniġcamb" joined "huniġ" (honey) and "camb" (comb), and the same pairing appears in other languages, such as Dutch "honingraat" and German "Honigwabe." The compound's history reaches back to Proto-Indo-European roots for both parts, but the English word itself is a plain combination of two common nouns. The image behind the name is worth a moment. The Oxford English Dictionary suggests that the wax plates hanging parallel to one another from the roof of a hive look like a comb with its teeth, which is why a tool for hair was the natural model for the structure. The word later spread from bees to other things with a similar pattern, including ornamental ceilings and cardboard packing material.

Synonyms: wax structure