A honeyed dish is characterized by its sweetness.
The adjective mellifluous comes from the Latin word mellifluus , which can be translated as “distilling honey” . The term is thus used to describe something that contains this substance produced by bees or that is similar to it due to its characteristics.
Some examples
This term is not very common in everyday speech. For this reason, we will use the following examples to see it in context and better understand its meaning: “The honeyed dessert made me a little sickly, although the rest of the dinner was very good” , “My grandmother used to make me some honeyed cookies that I loved” , “Don’t you have some honeyed recipes to suggest to me? I feel like eating something sweet…” .
As we know, tastes are a very personal matter: there are those who detest dishes that are adored by the majority, as well as others who prefer sweet to savoury, and vice versa. A passion for desserts is relatively common, but not everyone shares it. In these examples, we see the case of someone who does not appreciate the honeyed nature of a dessert very much, and two other people who do enjoy this characteristic .
Tenderness and delicacy
The concept of mellifluous, on the other hand, is used in reference to someone who stands out for his tenderness and delicacy . Speech or treatment that reflects softness and sweetness is also referred to as mellifluous.
This trait is usually part of the personality , meaning that it appears naturally in the way a person is. However, those who do not tend to treat others with such sweetness can improve in this aspect if they make an effort. It is true that the absence of this quality does not necessarily indicate a dry or inconsiderate attitude, but that there are infinite degrees of softness , many of them perfectly acceptable.
Pejorative use
It is important to mention that the notion can be used in a pejorative way. That is why we must pay attention to the context or, if possible, to the tone, to discover what kind of qualification it is about: “The country does not need a honeyed president, but a combative leader who firmly defends the interests of the people” , “The honeyed statements of the doctor provided peace of mind to the family of the man who has been hospitalized since yesterday” , “The honeyed verses of the poet were not well received by the audience” .
In these examples we see that certain characteristics that may be desired by many or appreciated by some people, become " defects " if they are part of the personality of others. Why does this happen? There is no firm answer that is valid for all cases, but we can focus on the widespread idea that "heroes should not be very sensitive." This is also reflected in machismo, which points out women as the weak (and sensitive) sex while men are strong, do not cry, always keep a cool head to solve problems.
A mellifluous living being is especially sweet and tender.
Returning to the examples, the first one states that a mellifluous president would not be able to defend his country firmly, since sweetness, tenderness or delicacy would get in the way of his mission . The second, on the other hand, highlights these qualities in a doctor who communicates the condition of a patient to his family, since thanks to his kindness he manages to give them a little peace . Finally, although poetry is associated with sensitivity, excess can be as counterproductive as in any other case.
Musical duo
Melifluo , meanwhile, is the name of a Spanish musical duo formed by brothers Juan Carlos (from the band Supersubmarina ) and Antonio Gómez Padilla (from Casasola ). They both composed some songs in 2013 but it was not until 2019 that they officially launched this project , whose first record production is titled “Cuatro caminos” .