For any modern married couple, the wedding followed by a low-key to extravagant honeymoon is a must. And this practice has turned into a global phenomenon. But have you ever wondered what led to the naming of this romantic and private time out for the newlywed? Honey, to some extent, indicates the sweetness of a fresh beginning, at least as anticipated. But from where does the moon come and teams up with it? If the etymology of this post-wedding couple's vacay leaves you puzzled, then you may find some cues. Scroll down!
Proving true to its meaning
Like several words in the English language, "honeymoon" has an intriguing past. Only in 1791 did the term come to mean a planned vacation. It took 200 years for this one to convey what it does now.
Honey or mead
As sweet as honey, Image Source: BigSotckPhoto
The term first appeared 4,000 years ago in Babylon. The month following a wedding was known as the "honeymoon," during which the bride's father would provide the groom with unlimited mead. For those unversed about mead, it is a honey brew or fermented honey, which has an intoxicating effect. The Babylonian calendar was based on the moon. The Babylonians named the month "honey month," but we now refer to it as a "honeymoon."
Moon shows the way
The term "honeymoon" comes from the Scandinavian ritual of consuming mead (fermented honey) during the first month after marriage. One lunar cycle is used to measure this time frame to increase the chances of pregnancy. The term was first used in the 1500s to warn newlyweds about diminishing love. "As the moon fades, so will your love," the message was no-frills.
Mead gives a comprehensive meaning?
The term is derived from the Old English word hony moone. Hony alludes to the sweetness of the new marriage and the European custom of giving newlyweds enough mead, an alcoholic liquor prepared by fermenting honey and water, to last a month. That would make a lot of couples happy. Moon relates to how long that sweetness is likely to stay or to the moon's changing phase—from full to waning. The comparable word in French is lune de miel. The German name is flitterwhochen, derived from the word flitter, meaning "tinsel."
Mead, fermented honey, Image Source: Shutterstock
Making it to the dictionary
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the phrase debuted in a collection of German folk legends by Johann Karl August Musäus and the first native-English usage was in 1804. The latter was another story collection published in London and penned by Maria Edgeworth. By 1821, it had taken on the verb form "honeymooning." The noun defines the term. "Honey," since it's a phase of sweetness. The word "moon" refers to the lunar cycle, which lasts a month. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it also relates to love diminishing steadily, like the moon does. The subsequent meanings of the word honeymoon all boil down to a blissful period of time following a wedding.
Would you like to sip some mead during your honeymooning? We are all ears!
