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honeymoon

n. · v.
US //ˈhəniˌmun// UK //hˈʌnɪmˌuːn// hon·ey·moon
  1. 1 post-wedding holiday (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a holiday taken by a couple who have just got married.

    a vacation taken by a newly married couple immediately following their wedding.

    Example

    They went to Italy for their honeymoon and spent two weeks in Rome.

    Example

    The couple opted for a secluded honeymoon in the Maldives, seeking total relaxation after the stress of planning a large wedding.
  2. 2 early happy period (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the early part of a new relationship or job when everything seems perfect and everyone is happy.

    an initial period of harmony and goodwill, often in a professional or political context, before difficulties or criticisms arise.

    Example

    The new manager is still in her honeymoon period, so everyone is being very helpful.

    Example

    Political analysts noted that the president's honeymoon with the press ended abruptly following the controversial budget announcement.
    • grace period
    • golden age
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  1. 3 to take a honeymoon (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to go on a holiday after getting married.

    to spend a honeymoon period or take a post-wedding vacation. Intransitive — does not take a direct object.

    Example

    The couple decided to honeymoon in the mountains instead of at the beach.

    Example

    After their winter wedding, they chose to honeymoon in a remote cabin, far from the distractions of the city.
Origin

From earlier hony moone, originally denoting the period of time following a wedding, equivalent to honey + moon. The original reference was to affection waning like the moon, but later the sense became "the first month, or moon after marriage", which tends to be the sweetest. Compare Middle Low German suckermânt (“honeymoon”, literally “sugar-month”), German Low German Hönnigweken (“honeymoon”, literally “honey-weeks”). The German Honigmond (literally “honey-moon”) is a calque of French lune de miel, itself a calque of the English term.

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