nectar

play

noun nec·tar \ˈnek-tər\

Simple Definition of nectar

: the drink that the Greek and Roman gods drank
: a thick juice made from a particular fruit
: a sweet liquid produced by plants and used by bees in making honey

Source: Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary

Full Definition of nectar

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

play \-t(ə-)rəs\ adjective

See nectar defined for English-language learners

See nectar defined for kids

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 nektar 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").