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Webster 1913 Edition


Honeycomb

Hon′ey-combˊ

,
Noun.
[AS.
hunigcamb
. See
Honey
, and 1st
Comb
.]
1.
A mass of hexagonal waxen cells, formed by bees, and used by them to hold their honey and their eggs.
2.
Any substance, as a easting of iron, a piece of worm-eaten wood, or of triple, etc., perforated with cells like a honeycomb.
Honeycomb moth
(Zool.)
,
the wax moth.
Honeycomb stomach
.
(Anat.)

Definition 2024


honeycomb

honeycomb

English

Noun

honeycomb (plural honeycombs)

  1. A structure of hexagonal cells made by bees primarily of wax, to hold their larvae and for storing the honey to feed the larvae and to feed themselves during winter.
  2. Any structure resembling a honeycomb.
    The wood porch was a honeycomb of termite tunnels before we replaced it.
  3. (construction) voids left in concrete resulting from failure of the mortar to effectively fill the spaces among coarse aggregate particles.
  4. (aviation) Manufactured material used manufacture light, stiff structural components using a sandwich design.
  5. (solar cell) The texture of the surface of a solar cell, intended to increase its surface area and capture more sunlight.
  6. (geometry) A space-filling packing of polytopes in 3- or higher-dimensional space.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

honeycomb (third-person singular simple present honeycombs, present participle honeycombing, simple past and past participle honeycombed)

  1. To riddle something with holes, especially in such a pattern.
    Termites will honeycomb a porch made of untreated pine.

See also