nectar

noun

nec·​tar ˈnek-tər How to pronounce nectar (audio)
Synonyms of nectarnext
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

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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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Mushroom extracts never reported to the FDA were found in 428 products, including coffee, fruit and vegetable juices and nectars, soups, and milks, according to the investigation. Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026 Sunflowers' big, prolific heads contain smaller flowers inside the circular disc, a nectar and pollen playground for pollinators that also yields seeds and oil. Michelle Darrisaw, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2026 Instead, the site recommends a homemade mixture consisting of four parts water to one part sugar, which emulates the amount of sugar naturally found in nectar. Josh Kelly, Oklahoman, 27 Feb. 2026 To prevent nectar waste, fill feeders a third of the way up with nectar and add additional nectar as more hummingbirds arrive. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Feb. 2026 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 6 Mar. 2026.

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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