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 perfume combines the quintessential summer fruit with tonka bean, florals, plum nectar, and apple blossom for a truly memorable, sweet but not overly saccharine finish. — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 5 Aug. 2026

Pick Plants That Deter Wasps Wasps are attracted to bright colors and sweet nectar, so if wasps visit your porch every year, consider switching to plants that deter them. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2026

Any pollinator who wants to come along can come and get a taste of the pollen and maybe get a little bit of nectar depending on the magnolia species. — Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 30 July 2026

Every day, like clockwork, the tree shares a nectar perfectly suited to keep its hungry ants happy. — Will Cady, SPIN, 30 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