meaning of honeymoon

[nuttybear]

Where did the word honeymoon come from and what does it mean? thanks xx

[Catso]

My understanding is that in olden days honey was considered an aphrodisiac (so a doubtless popular/coarse opinion thought it a large part of the newly-weds diet) and moon means a month (more or less).

So: a month of aphrodisiac (or s*x).

[Buenchico]

According to the Concise Oxford Dictionary, 'moon', in this context, is "originally with reference to waning affection, not to a period of a month".

Honey just means 'sweet'. So, honeymoon means 'a sweet period of waning affection'.

Chris

[Catso]

Now I've bothered to look it up, Wikipedia prefers Buenchico's answer, but does include mine.

It actually says the honey was mead, but I was close.

[Loosehead]

I hav'nt looked it up but I heard that it was traditional for the father of the bride to supply mead to the groom for one month after the wedding, this was known as the Honey month which became known as the honey moon as the moon cycle is roughly a month.

[ugly_bob]

What a hangover that would be.
Free mead for a month, then you wake up, and you're getting nagged for the rest of your life!