Definition of HONEYDEW

honeydew

Plural: honeydews

Noun

  • A sweet, sticky fluid secreted by plants or insects.
  • the fruit of a variety of winter melon vine; a large smooth greenish-white melon with pale green flesh
  • A sweet, sticky substance deposited on leaves and other plant parts by insects (especially aphids and scale insects) feeding on plant sap, or by fungi.
  • A sweet liquid substance resembling the substance mentioned in sense 1, such as honey, nectar, or manna in the Bible.
  • A blackish mould (often called sooty mould) produced by fungi of the order Dothideales, feeding on the substance mentioned in sense 1.
  • In full honeydew tobacco: a fine sort of tobacco moistened with a sweet substance (originally molasses).
  • Ellipsis of honeydew melon (“a melon from the Cucumis melo Inodorus cultivar group, with sweet, light green or white flesh and a smooth greenish-white or yellow rind”).
  • Ellipsis of honeydew melon (“a melon from the Cucumis melo Inodorus cultivar group, with sweet, light green or white flesh and a smooth greenish-white or yellow rind”).
  • A light green colour, like the flesh of some honeydew melons.
  • Something that is enjoyable or pleasant.

Adj

  • Of a light green colour, like the flesh of some honeydew melons.

Examples

  • The word HONEYDEW felt refreshing to place, like a cool treat on the board.

Origin / Etymology

The noun is derived from honey + dew, originally believed to be a form of dew that fell from the sky like rain onto plants (see sense 1).
The adjective is derived from the noun.

Synonyms

honeydew melon, ambrosia, melligo

Scrabble Score: 18

honeydew: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
honeydew: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
honeydew: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 17

honeydew: valid Words With Friends Word