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

Pure Manuka Honey $98 Flamingo Estate Flamingo Estate’s Manuka honey is harvested from Mount Taranaki in New Zealand—a region known for its ability to produce an incredibly potent nectar. —Megan Wahn, Architectural Digest, 24 Oct. 2024

Avocado Margarita At Sweet Liberty Drinks & Company in Miami Beach, this Avocado Margarita is made with tequila, mezcal, Cointreau, aloe liqueur, spicy chile liqueur, avocado puree, fresh lime juice, and agave nectar. —Aly Walansky, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2024

This dynamic—in which a bee feeds on a flower’s nectar and gathers pollen to feed larvae, and also propagates pollen from flower to flower, enabling plant reproduction—was already well established. —Max G. Levy, WIRED, 27 Oct. 2024

This downward orientation is thought to protect its nectar and pollen from rain. —Nina Foster, JSTOR Daily, 25 Oct. 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