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

This fascinating plant secretes a sweet-smelling nectar along the edges of its leaves to attract ants, spiders, crickets, and other bugs. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 14 July 2026

Blooms provide an early source of nectar for hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators, while songbirds shelter and build nests among the twining branches. — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 12 July 2026

These under-$25 auger drill bits make easy work of bulk planting, and this hummingbird feeder—combined with ready-to-use hummingbird nectar—will attract your favorite pint-sized birds in droves. — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 July 2026

The round, white, grape-sized blooms are prickly, too, but that doesn’t keep bees and other pollinators from finding nectar in hundreds of tiny flowers within. — Sheryl Devore, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek nektar

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for nectar

• hector
• lector
• rector
• sector
• specter
• spectre
• vector
• bisector
• collector
• connector
• corrector
• defector

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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