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PlainSpell

honor

/ˈɑ.nɚ/noun, verb

honor is spelled H-O-N-O-R: 5 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 49 times per million words in written English, the 2,072nd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data, counting Honor, the name). As a noun, honor means “Recognition of importance or value; respect; veneration (of someone, usually for being morally upright or successful)” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of honor is honors.

How many letters and syllables are in honor?

Letters5: H-O-N-O-R
Syllables2 (from its American pronunciation)
In writing49 times per million words; the 2,072nd most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search
Rhymes with

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.

How common is honor?

Honor appears 49 times per million words in written English, the 2,072nd most frequent word form in the list. The list counts every capitalisation together, so this includes Honor, the name.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce honor?

  • UK /ˈɒn.ə/
  • US /ˈɑ.nɚ/
  • Australia /ˈɔn.ə/

Honor has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-honor.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Words people confuse with honor

Also written: honored.

Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).

What rhymes with honor?

2 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as honor from its last stressed vowel (/ɑnəɹ/):

Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).

Forms of honor

  • honors plural, present, singular, he/she/it
  • honour UK
  • honoring participle, present
  • honored participle, past

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does honor mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

noun

  1. 1

    USRecognition of importance or value; respect; veneration (of someone, usually for being morally upright or successful).

    The crowds gave the returning general much honor and praise.

  2. 2

    USThe state of being morally upright, honest, noble, virtuous, and magnanimous; excellence of character; the perception of such a state; favourable reputation; dignity.

    He was a most perfect knight, for he had great honor and chivalry.

  3. 3

    USA token of praise or respect; something that represents praiseworthiness or respect, such as a prize or award given by the state to a citizen.

    Honors are normally awarded twice a year: on The Queen's Birthday in June and at the New Year.

  4. 4

    USA privilege (which honors the person experiencing it).

    I had the honour of dining with the ambassador.

  5. 5

    USThe privilege of going first.

    I'll let you have the honours, Bob–go ahead.

  6. 6

    USThe right to play one's ball before one's opponent.

  7. 7

    USA cause of respect and fame; a glory; an excellency; an ornament.

    He is an honour to his nation.

  8. 8

    USA seigniory or lordship held of the king, on which other lordships and manors depended.

verb

  1. 1

    USTo think of highly, to respect highly; to show respect for; to recognise the importance or spiritual value of.

    The freedom fighters will be forever remembered and honored by the people.

  2. 2

    USTo conform to, abide by, act in accordance with (an agreement, treaty, promise, request, or the like).

    I trusted you, but you have not honored your promise.

  3. 3

    USTo confer (bestow) an honour or privilege upon (someone).

    Ten members of the profession were honored at the ceremony.

  4. 4

    USTo make payment in respect of (a cheque, banker's draft, etc.).

    I'm sorry Sir, but the bank did not honour your cheque.

interjection

  1. 1

    USarchaicOn one's honor; truthfully.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Honor in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Frenchhonneur (recognition of importance or spiritual value…), honorer (think of, respect highly)
GermanEhre (recognition of importance or spiritual value…), ehren (think of, respect highly)
Spanishhonor, aras, ondra (disused) (recognition of importance or spiritual value…), honrar, honorar (think of, respect highly), privilegio (privilege)
Portuguesehonrar (think of, respect highly), honra (favourable reputation; dignity; sense of…)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does honor come from?

From Middle English honour, honor, honur, from Anglo-Norman honour, honur, from Old French honor, from Latin honor. Displaced native Old English hād and Middle English menske (“honor, dignity among men”) (though survived in descendant mense (“property, civility, etc.”)), from Old Norse menskr (“honor”). The verb is from Middle English honouren, honuren (“to honor”).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What to look up after honor