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").

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Those temperatures, which could repeat Friday into Saturday, are cold enough to freeze the nectar in hummingbird feeders solid. —oregonlive, 24 Feb. 2023

Don't worry about any visiting ants, which are not hurting the plant but only coming to sip the nectar. —Terri Robertson, Country Living, 27 Jan. 2023

According to head blender Meghan Ireland and head of whiskey development Liz Rhoades, the Greek nectar used to season a barrel was similar to a concentrate, a non-barrel-aged syrup made from Greek figs. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2022

Another function of nectar can be to protect against pathogens, and in some plants, certain proteins have antimicrobial and antifungal properties. —Elizabeth Waddington, Treehugger, 10 Mar. 2023

In addition to milkweed, adult monarchs also love nectar-rich plants like lantana, rudbeckia, and yarrow. —Savanna Bous, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Feb. 2023

Not even Middle America could sip of The A-Team‘s nectar, and like the taste. —Richard Hack, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Jan. 2023

Hailing from the Southeastern U.S., this drought-tolerant member of the daisy family is a good nectar source for butterflies. —Terri Robertson, Country Living, 27 June 2022

One approach could involve sweet-and-salty nectar, according to new research. —Jennifer Ball, Discover Magazine, 19 Apr. 2022

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Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek nektar

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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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