What Is a Honeymoon? – Origin & Meaning

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Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond studied Advanced Writing & Editing Essentials at MHC. She’s been an International and USA TODAY Bestselling Author for over a decade. And she’s worked as an Editor for several mid-sized publications. Candace has a keen eye for content editing and a high degree of expertise in Fiction.

The word honeymoon first appeared in 1546, alluding to the idea that marriage is much sweeter during the first month. Today, its definition has drastically changed, to say the least.

What is a honeymoon? Where did the term honeymoon come from? All the answers are in this guide. Find out the meaning, origin, and examples of honeymoon in a sentence.

What Does Honeymoon Mean?

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Honeymoon is a compound word of honey and moon, meaning a period of harmony immediately following marriage or the honeymoon period. This noun refers to a post-wedding phase where the newlyweds get sweeter or happier before carrying a regular married life.

A honeymoon can also mean a trip or vacation a newly married couple takes. The newlyweds go to different places, spend time together, and enjoy themselves. It can be a secluded private island, hotel, resort, or any destination.

Some people use it as a verb that means to go on a trip as a newly married couple. Its conjugations are honeymooned, honeymooning, honeymoons, and will honeymoon.

What Is the Origin of Honeymoon?

Honeymoon became popular in the 1540s, with the original spelling being honey moone. This word used to mean the sweetness of a new marriage. Many people also believed that the first month of the marriage, also known as the honeymoon stage, is the sweetest.

Today, honeymoon’s connotation is more positive. Instead of promoting the concept of diminishing love, it now refers to a trip or vacation taken by a newly married couple.

Is It Honey Moon or Honeymoon?

The correct term is honeymoon because it is a closed compound word. It has no space or a hyphen between the two words.

Honeymoon in a Sentence

  • After seeing the average honeymoon cost, my husband and I decided to skip our honeymoon and invest the money into a new house.
  • My best friend spent thirty days honeymooning in Cancun.
  • Our wedding planner gave us a list of honeymoon activities to do while on our trip.
  • Don’t forget to take lots of pictures on your honeymoon so you can always remember the once-in-a-lifetime moment!
  • My parents never took a honeymoon. They got married at city hall and went to work that afternoon.
  • Honeymoons are out of touch today. They cost too much and are an unnecessary expense in today’s struggling economy.
  • If you’re planning your honeymoon, leaving for the big trip soon, or already experiencing the vacation of a lifetime with your new spouse, you’re probably snapping dozens of photos together—and maybe you want to share a few with your Instagram followers as you travel the world. (Brides)

Summary of Honeymoon

Honeymoon is not a term for honey made on the moon. This closed compound word refers to a vacation taken by newlyweds to celebrate their new marriage. It became popular with the rise of mass tourism. What other words do you want to learn about?