nectar

noun

nec·​tar ˈnek-tər 

1

a

: the drink of the Greek and Roman gods

b

: something delicious to drink

c

: a beverage of fruit juice and pulp

apricot nectar

2

: a sweet liquid that is secreted by the nectaries of a plant and is the chief raw material of honey

nectarous

ˈnek-t(ə-)rəs 

adjective

Did you know?

Nectar is often mentioned in conjunction with ambrosia, the food of the Greek and Roman gods. For centuries, English speakers have used ambrosia to refer to something with an extremely pleasing taste or smell, and nectar to refer to a delicious drink, especially a fruit juice. To the ancient Greeks and Romans, however, the powers of nectar and ambrosia far exceeded those of any earthly fare; consuming nectar and ambrosia gave the gods their immortality. In Greek, the literal meanings of ambrosia and nectar are "immortality" and "overcoming death," respectively. Nektar is believed to be a compound of Greek nek- (probably akin to Latin nec-, meaning "death") and -tar (probably akin to Sanksrit tarati, meaning "he overcomes or crosses over").

Examples of nectar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

By engaging the public with exciting research — such as the discovery that Ethiopian wolves drink nectar — Sillero seeks to improve familiarity with thespecies. —Alex Rodway, CNN, 6 Dec. 2024

Sugary nectar can ferment and occurs quicker in warm and hot weather. —Lauren David, Southern Living, 2 Dec. 2024

While animals already have the genes needed to degrade ethanol before yeasts began producing it, there is some evidence that evolution fine-tuned the ability for mammals and birds that eat fruit and nectar. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 30 Oct. 2024

Avoid using red food coloring or artificial sweeteners in the nectar solution. —Shelby Slade, The Arizona Republic, 26 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek nektar

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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Kids Definition

nectar

noun

nec·​tar ˈnek-tər 

1

: the drink of the Greek and Roman gods

2

: a sweet liquid given off by plants and especially by the flowers and used by bees in making honey