ambrosia

American  

[am-broh-zhuh] / æmˈbroʊ ʒə /

noun

1. Classical Mythology. the food of the gods.

2. something especially delicious to taste or smell.

3. a fruit dessert made of oranges and shredded coconut and sometimes pineapple.

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ambrosia British  

/ æmˈbrəʊzɪə /

noun

1. classical myth the food of the gods, said to bestow immortality Compare nectar

2. anything particularly delightful to taste or smell

3. another name for beebread

4. any of various herbaceous plants constituting the genus Ambrosia, mostly native to America but widely naturalized: family Asteraceae (composites). The genus includes the ragweeds

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ambrosia Cultural  

1. The food of the gods in classical mythology. Those who ate it became immortal.

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Discover More

Particularly delicious food is sometimes called “ambrosia.”

Other Word Forms

• ambrosial adjective
• ambrosially adverb

Etymology

Origin of ambrosia

1545–55; < Latin < Greek: immortality, food of the gods, noun use of feminine of ambrósios, equivalent to a- a- ⁶ + -mbros- (combining form of brotōs mortal; akin to Latin mortuus dead, murder ) + -ios adj. suffix; replacing Middle English ambrose, ambrosie < Old French ambroise < Latin

Example Sentences

Whisked egg yolks and sugar get spooned on top, like a frothy, golden ambrosia.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

“Nothing calms me down,” Marge says, “like making a fresh batch of ambrosia salad. With plenty of grapes.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026

One of his early experiments was ambrosia — a salad so retro it borders on parody, but so striking in his hands it practically glows.

From Salon • Apr. 27, 2025

The Kentucky volunteers also have to watch over the trees throughout the year to protect them from the destructive ambrosia beetles, whose larvae would quickly kill half of the orchard if left unchecked.

From Salon • Dec. 18, 2023

“Mom—” “Your ambrosia and nectar, Percy? And a golden drachma in case you need to contact camp?”

From "The Titan's Curse" by Rick Riordan