honour
gb/ˈɑnɚ/ us/ˈɑnɚ/
B1
English
~ 2600
megtiszteltetés, tisztelet, tiszteleg, megtisztel, becsület, jó hírnév, betart, eleget tesz
NOUN
B1
1
tisztelet
B1
Usage pattern:
[someone] is held in honour
The soldier was awarded a medal of honour for his bravery.
A katona bátorságáért becsületérmet kapott.
She felt it was a great honour to meet the president.
Nagy megtiszteltetésnek érezte, hogy találkozhatott az elnökkel.
The championship win brought honour to the whole team.
Learner examples
It is an honour to meet you.
Megtiszteltetés találkozni önnel.
He brought honour to his family.
Becsületet szerzett a családjának.
The school gave her an award of honour.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'honour' with 'honorary', which means holding a title without the usual duties.
Meaning
High respect or esteem
Collocations
bring honour
|a matter of honour
|hold in honour
|lose honour
|win honour
Synonyms
respect (A broad term for positive regard; 'honour' often suggests higher esteem or moral worth.)
|
esteem (Similar in meaning but often more personal and less formal than 'honour'.)
Antonyms
disrespect (The opposite feeling or treatment, showing lack of regard.)
|
dishonour (Loss of respect or damage to one's reputation.)
Themes
emotions
|society
|values
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A feeling of great respect for someone because they are good or have done something good.
Great respect and admiration given to someone because of their personal qualities, achievements, or position.
VERB
B1
FORMAL
2
tiszteleg
B2
megtisztel
B2
Usage pattern:
to honour [someone/something]
We are gathered here today to honour the memory of those who died.
Azért gyűltünk össze ma, hogy tisztelegjünk azok emléke előtt, akik meghaltak.
The city will honour the firefighters with a parade.
A város felvonulással tiszteleg majd a tűzoltók előtt.
She honoured her teacher by dedicating her book to him.
Learner examples
They honoured the winners with a party.
Egy bulival tisztelték meg a győzteseket.
We honour our parents on this day.
Ezen a napon tiszteljük a szüleinket.
The school honoured the best student.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'honour' (verb) with 'celebrate', which is less about respect and more about enjoyment.
Meaning
Show great respect to
Collocations
honour a promise
|honour the dead
|honour an agreement
|honour a guest
Synonyms
respect (A general term; 'honour' suggests a more formal or ceremonial respect.)
|
revere (Stronger than 'honour', implying deep admiration and almost worship.)
Antonyms
insult (To speak or act in a way that shows no respect.)
|
dishonour (To treat without the respect that is due, often bringing shame.)
Themes
emotions
|society
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To show that you think someone or something is important and deserves respect.
To show deep respect for someone or something, often through actions, words, or ceremonies.
NOUN
B2
3
He would never lie; his honour means too much to him.
Sosem hazudna; túl sokat jelent neki a becsülete.
She felt her family's honour was at stake.
Úgy érezte, hogy a családja becsülete forog kockán.
They fought to protect their honour.
Learner examples
He kept his honour by telling the truth.
Az igazat mondva megőrizte a becsületét.
Her honour was important to her family.
A becsülete fontos volt a családjának.
They worked hard to keep their honour.
Meaning
Reputation for honesty and morality
Collocations
defend one's honour
|a question of honour
|lose one's honour
Synonyms
integrity (Focuses more on moral principles; 'honour' also includes social perception.)
|
reputation ('Honour' often implies a moral dimension beyond just what people think.)
Antonyms
shame (A loss of respect due to bad behaviour.)
|
dishonour (Loss or damage to one's good name.)
Themes
values
|morality
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The good opinion people have of someone because they are honest and do the right thing.
A person's good name and public reputation based on honesty, integrity, and moral behaviour.
VERB
B2
FORMAL
4
betart
B1
eleget tesz
B2
Usage pattern:
to honour [a promise/agreement]
The company failed to honour its warranty obligations.
A cég nem tett eleget a jótállási kötelezettségeinek.
She honoured her promise to call every week.
Betartotta az ígéretét, hogy minden héten felhív.
Both sides agreed to honour the terms of the treaty.
Learner examples
He honoured his promise to help me.
Betartotta az ígéretét, hogy segít nekem.
They honoured the contract.
Betartották a szerződést.
She honoured her agreement with the school.
Meaning
Fulfil a promise or agreement
Collocations
honour a contract
|honour one's word
|honour an obligation
Synonyms
fulfil ('Honour' adds a sense of moral duty compared to the neutral 'fulfil'.)
|
keep ('Keep' is more informal; 'honour' is more formal and moral in tone.)
Antonyms
break (Fail to do what was promised.)
|
renege (Formally go back on a promise or agreement.)
Themes
business
|morality
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To do what you said you would do or what an agreement says you must do.
To do what you have promised or agreed to do, especially when it is morally right or expected.
Grammar
Dictionary form
honour
IPA
GB/ˈɑnɚ/
US/ˈɑnɚ/
Syllables & stress
hon - our (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (hon)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: honour
- Variant Spelling: honor
- Plural: honour, honours
Verb
- Base: honour
- Variant Spelling: honor
- 3rd Person Singular: honours
- Present Participle: honouring
- Past: honoured
Word family
Forms
Core family
honourable
adjective B2
honourably
adverb
Related words
honorary
adjective C1
Negative and opposite forms
Highlights
- Spelling Variant: honor Verb
- Spelling Variant: honor Noun
Expressions
do someone the honour
1/dˈu sˈʌmwˌʌn ðə ˈɑnɚ/
fixed phrase
formal
Politely invite someone to act
To politely ask someone to do something because you respect them.
Examples
- Would you do me the honour of joining me for dinner?
- May I do you the honour of introducing our guest speaker?
do the honours
1/dˈu ðə ˈɑnɚz/
idiom
Act as host for others
To act as host and serve people food or drinks at a social event.
Examples
- John, would you like to do the honours and pour the wine?
- Our host asked me to do the honours with the dessert.
guest of honour
1/ɡˈɛst əv ˈɑnɚ/
fixed phrase
Most important person at event
The most important person at an event, given special attention and respect.
Examples
- The guest of honour gave a short speech before dinner.
- We took photos with the guest of honour after the ceremony.
in honour of
1/ˈɪn ˈɑnɚ əv/
fixed phrase
As a mark of respect for
To show respect for someone or something special.
Examples
- They held a concert in honour of the retiring teacher.
- A statue was built in honour of the founder.