Honied

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Possessing a delightful sweetness that is both charming and pleasing, often utilized to depict an appealing quality or smooth nature that captivates one's senses
2. Having a flavor or character resembling honey's natural sweetness ; exhibiting a polite and flattering manner meant to please or charm others
3. Characterized by a sweetness similar to honey, often in taste or tone ; displaying a gentle and agreeable demeanour that aims to attract or win favour

Etymology: "Honied" is the adjective form of "honey," so its base is one of the oldest sweeteners in English. The word "honey" traces to Old English "hunig," which goes back to a Germanic root shared with German "Honig." The adjective "honied" was formed by adding the suffix "-ed" to the noun, a regular way of describing something as full of or marked by a quality. Its meaning moved in two directions: first literally, for things tasting or smelling of honey, and then figuratively, for speech or manners that are sugary and pleasing. The figurative sense is the one that has lasted. A honied voice or honied words suggests smoothness and charm, sometimes with a hint that the sweetness is put on to win favour. This use of honey as a metaphor for pleasant speech is very old in English, and "honied" carries that long tradition into poetry and prose.

Synonyms: sweetened, sugared

Antonyms: bitter