favo
/ˈfa.vo/masculine
The English word honeycomb is translated into Italian as favo. Wiktionary also lists cella and nido d'api.
Meaning: substance made by bees primarily from beeswax which has hexagonal cells, single sheet made up of two layers of this substance (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| favo | /ˈfa.vo/ | masculine |
| cella | /ˈt͡ʃɛl.la/ | feminine |
| nido d'api | masculine |
Use favo to refer to the substance made by bees from beeswax that contains hexagonal cells, or to a single sheet composed of two layers of this substance.
Which one should you use?
Use cella when referring to an individual hexagonal compartment within the honeycomb.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of favo is favoli.
How do you pronounce it?
favo is pronounced /ˈfa.vo/. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the word cella describes a honeycomb compartment, a biological cell and a prison cell.
- While favo refers to the wax structure, the word for the honey inside it is miele, which shares a root with the English word 'melifluous'.
- The word favo comes from the Latin favus, which originates from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to swell' or 'to thrive'.
Examples in context
- Sto cercando una ricetta che includa un favo di miele fresco.I'm looking for a recipe that includes fresh honeycomb.
- Il favo è pieno di miele fresco.The honeycomb is full of fresh honey.
- Ho comprato un favo direttamente dall'apicoltore.I bought a honeycomb directly from the beekeeper.
- La struttura del favo è perfetta.The structure of the honeycomb is perfect.
Example conversation
Alessandro and Sofia are visiting a local beekeeper.
- AlessandroSofia, guarda che bello questo favo!Sofia, look how beautiful this honeycomb is!
- SofiaÈ incredibile come sia regolare.It is incredible how regular it is.
- AlessandroPosso assaggiare un pezzetto di favo?Can I taste a little piece of honeycomb?
- SofiaSì, chiedi pure all'apicoltore.Yes, just ask the beekeeper.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “honeycomb” translations and entries favo, cella, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cella, favo, nido, CC BY-SA 4.0.
