Melidectes is a genus of bird in the honeyeater family Meliphagidae. Nine of its ten species are endemic to New Guinea; the tenth species, Gilliard's melidectes, is endemic to nearby New Britain. Gilliard's melidectes is sometimes considered to constitute its own genus, Vosea, or has been placed with the sooty melidectes, the long-bearded melidectes and the short-bearded melidectes in the genus Melionyx due to similarities in size, plumage and the smaller bare patch around the eye. The generic name is derived from the Greek meli for honey and dektes for beggar or receiver.