nectar

noun

nec·​tar ˈnek-tər How to pronounce nectar (audio)
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 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
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Plants flower in shades of pink, blue, purple, and white, inviting hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees to sip their nectar. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2025 All of Suavecito’s tequilas have 2% agave nectar, so there is no burning sensation in the throat when enjoyed. Jennifer Pierce, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2025 During this struggle, drops of nectar fell at four sacred sites. Kyra Colah, Fox News, 8 Feb. 2025 During this epic battle, four drops of the nectar fell to the Earth in places that are held scared. Sudipta Sen, The Conversation, 5 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nectar

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek nektar

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of nectar was in 1555

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Cite this Entry

“Nectar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nectar. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

nectar

noun
nec·​tar ˈnek-tər How to pronounce nectar (audio)
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

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