Rhiannon Hendricks
The word honeymoon has evolved over the years, and its etymology is a source of debate. The term initially referred to the first month of marriage and the feelings of splendour attached to that period. The word is derived from Old English, hony moone, with hony referring to the indefinite period of tenderness and pleasure experienced by a newlywed couple, and moone referring to the fleeting amount of time that sweetness would last. The word honeymoon likely also comes from the European tradition of donating mead, an alcoholic drink made from fermented honey, to newlyweds for the month-long period of a complete moon cycle.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Etymology | Derived from the Old English "hony moone" |
| Meaning | "Hony", a reference to honey, refers to the indefinite period of tenderness and pleasure experienced by a newly wed couple, and how sweet the new marriage is. "Moone", meanwhile, refers to the fleeting amount of time that sweetness would last. |
| First Recorded Description | 1542, by Samuel Johnson |
| First Native-English Usage | 1804, by Maria Edgeworth |
| Became Associated with Post-Wedding Excursion | End of the 1800s |
| Popularity | In a 2023 survey of 15 countries, an average of 75% of couples took a honeymoon. |
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What You'll Learn
The 'honey' in honeymoon
The word "honeymoon" has its roots in Old English, with the term "hony moone" appearing in a 1552 book, which described it as a term "proverbially applied to such as be newly married, which will not fall out at the first, but th'one loveth the other at the beginning exceedingly".
The word "honey" refers to the sweetness and pleasure of the period immediately following a marriage, a time for the couple to relax and enjoy each other's company. The "moon" component refers to the fleeting nature of this period, alluding to the changing moon, which is "no sooner full than it begins to wane", as described by Samuel Johnson in the mid-18th century.
The notion of "honey" in "honeymoon" may also refer to the ancient European practice of providing newlywed couples with mead, a beverage made from fermented honey, for the month-long period of a full moon cycle. This tradition was known as the "Mead Moon" or "Honey Moon", with June being a popular month for both marriage and honey harvesting.
The custom of couples taking a holiday immediately after marriage, or a bridal tour, became popular in the early 19th century, particularly among the upper classes. This tradition, combined with the rise of popular travel and tourism, led to the modern understanding of a honeymoon as a post-wedding vacation.
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The 'moon' in honeymoon
The word 'honeymoon' is derived from the Old English "hony moone". The word "honey" refers to the sweet period of tenderness and pleasure experienced by a newlywed couple. The word "moon" refers to the fleeting amount of time that this sweetness would last, just as the moon is fleeting and is no sooner full than it begins to wane.
The word 'honeymoon' was first used in 1546 by John Heywood in a volume titled "A dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the proverbes in the englishe tongue compacte in a matter concernyng two maner of mariages, made and set foorth". The first native-English usage appeared in 1804 in a story collection written by Maria Edgeworth. In the story, a couple goes to Margate to "spend their honey-moon in style".
The tradition of couples taking a holiday immediately after marriage likely stems from 'bridal tours', which were popular among the upper classes, combined with the rise of popular travel and tourism in the 1800s. In the early modern era, undertaking a post-wedding 'tour' allowed wealthy couples to visit friends and family, while others preferred to retreat from society and get to know each other better.
Today, the honeymoon is a vacation taken by newlyweds after their wedding to celebrate their marriage. The custom in Western culture and some Westernized countries' cultures of a newlywed couple going on a holiday together originated in early-19th-century Britain.
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The Old English 'hony moone'
The word "honeymoon" comes from the Old English "hony moone", with hony (or honey) referring to the sweetness of the period immediately following a marriage. Moone, meanwhile, alludes to the fleeting nature of this time, suggesting that the sweetness of the honeymoon period will eventually wane, just as the moon changes from full to a waning crescent.
The first recorded use of the word "honeymoon" appeared in a 1546 volume by the playwright and poet John Heywood, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. The phrase was also used by Samuel Johnson in 1542 (or 1552) and Richard Huloet in 1552. Johnson's description of the word is as follows:
> "The first month after marriage, when there is nothing but tenderness and pleasure; originally having no reference to the period of a month, but comparing mutual affection of newly-married persons to the changing moon which is no sooner full that it begins to wane..."
Huloet's description is similar:
> "Hony mone, a term proverbially applied to such as be newly married, which will not fall out at the first, but th'one loveth the other at the beginning exceedingly, the likel [ihood of their exceadynge love appearing to] asawge..."
The tradition of couples taking a holiday immediately after marriage likely stems from "bridal tours", which were popular among the upper classes, combined with the rise of popular travel and tourism in the 1800s.
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The June full moon
The tradition of couples taking a holiday immediately after marriage likely stems from "'bridal tours', which were popular among the upper classes in the 1800s. These "bridal tours" often included friends and family and involved visiting relatives who had not attended the wedding.
In the early modern era, some couples chose to retreat from society during their honeymoon to get to know each other better. For example, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn reportedly spent over a week at Thornbury Castle in Gloucestershire, while Charles II withdrew with his new bride to Hampton Court Palace.
The term "honeymoon" was first recorded in 1546, in a volume written by the playwright and poet John Heywood, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. The word appeared in a narrative after two people got married: "To be bréefe, they were marryed: well that daye was past with dauncing and Honney moone it was for a moneth after." This usage explains the meaning of the word, with "honey" referring to the sweetness of the period, and "moon" referring to the time it takes for the moon to wane and wax anew.
The notion of "honey" and "moon" in the word "honeymoon" also alludes to the medieval belief that love is fleeting and tends to wane, just as the moon does.
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The waning of the moon
The word "honeymoon" is derived from the Old English "hony moone". The term was first recorded in 1542 by Samuel Johnson, who wrote:
> "The first month after marriage, when there is nothing but tenderness and pleasure; originally having no reference to the period of a month, but comparing mutual affection of newly-married persons to the changing moon which is no sooner full than it begins to wane".
The word "hony" refers to the indefinite period of tenderness and pleasure experienced by a newly wed couple, and how sweet the new marriage is. "Moone" refers to the fleeting nature of this period of sweetness, which would last only as long as it takes for the moon to wane and wax anew. In other words, the term "honeymoon" alludes to the idea that the first month of marriage is the sweetest, and that love, like the moon, will inevitably wane.
This interpretation is supported by the Oxford English Dictionary, which states that the word "honeymoon" refers to the period of tenderness and pleasure following marriage, but also acknowledges that the term may have originally referred to the inevitable waning of love, like a phase of the moon.
The notion of a honeymoon as a period of celebration and happiness following a wedding is a modern interpretation. Historically, the word was used as a warning to newlyweds about the fleeting nature of love.
The tradition of couples taking a holiday immediately after marriage likely stems from the "bridal tours" popular among the upper classes in the 1800s, combined with the rise of popular travel and tourism during this period.
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Frequently asked questions
The word honeymoon comes from the Old English “hony moone”. Hony, a reference to honey, describes the “indefinite period of tenderness and pleasure experienced by a newly wed couple", and how sweet the new marriage is. Moone, meanwhile, refers to the fleeting amount of time that sweetness would last.
Honeymoon refers to the post-wedding vacation taken by newlyweds to celebrate their marriage.
The tradition of couples taking a holiday immediately after marriage most likely stems from ‘bridal tours’ that were popular amongst the upper classes, combined with the rise of popular travel and tourism in the 1800s.
The first recorded description of the word comes from 1542, when Samuel Johnson wrote: “The first month after marriage, when there is nothing but tenderness and pleasure; originally having no reference to the period of a month, but comparing mutual affection of newly-married persons to the changing moon which is no sooner full than it begins to wane...”. The first native-English usage appeared in 1804, in a story collection written by Maria Edgeworth.
The honeymoon phase refers to the initial period of a couple's relationship, whether they are in matrimony or not, that exists before getting used to everyday life together.
