# Mel

/ˈmɛɫ/ (US) · /mˈɛl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mel
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. unit of pitch

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a unit used to measure how high or low a sound seems to a person.

For teachers: a unit of pitch perceived by listeners to be equally spaced from one another, based on a scale where 1000 mels equals a 1000 Hz tone.

- Scientists use the mel scale to understand how human ears hear different frequencies.
- The mel scale was developed to provide a linear representation of human pitch perception, which does not correspond directly to physical frequency.

### 2. honey in cosmetics

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the word for honey when it is used as an ingredient in soaps or creams.

For teachers: honey, specifically when identified as a constituent in pharmaceutical or cosmetic preparations.

- The label on the organic face cream listed mel as a natural moisturiser.
- Formulators often include mel in topical ointments due to its natural humectant properties and historical use in wound healing.

## Examples

- The ancient recipe calls for a spoonful of mel.
- The apothecary carefully mixed the herbal extract into a base of mel to make the medicine easier for the patient to swallow.
- In classical texts, the term mel often serves as a metaphor for eloquence or divine sweetness, transcending its literal definition as a simple botanical secretion.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.