nectar
the saccharine secretion of a plant, which attracts the insects or birds that pollinate the flower.
the juice of a fruit, especially when not diluted, or a blend of fruit juices: pear nectar; tropical nectar.
Classical Mythology. the life-giving drink of the gods.: Compare ambrosia (def. 1).
any delicious drink.
Origin of nectar
1Other words from nectar
- nec·tar·like, adjective
Words Nearby nectar
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use nectar in a sentence
To attract vital pollinators, males ooze nectar among the nubbins.
‘Vampire’ parasite challenges the definition of a plant | Susan Milius | September 16, 2020 | Science News For StudentsSometimes these and other bumblebees don’t grope for nectar through the natural openings of flowers.
Bumblebees may bite leaves to spur plant blooming | Susan Milius | July 2, 2020 | Science News For StudentsThese animals probably don’t binge on sugary fruit and nectar that creates ethanol.
Why elephants and armadillos might easily get drunk | Susan Milius | June 4, 2020 | Science News For StudentsLike honeybee workers, bumblebee workers collect pollen and nectar.
Pesticides can have long-term impact on bumblebee learning | Alison Pearce Stevens | May 18, 2020 | Science News For StudentsTo get enough energy, Minecraft bees would need a lot of nectar, Combes says.
Minecraft’s big bees don’t exist, but giant insects once did | Carolyn Wilke | May 14, 2020 | Science News For Students
Legend has it that Alexander the Great enjoyed ancient sno-cones as well; his were flavored with honey and nectar.
An Investigation Into the Delicious Origins of Ice Cream | Andrew Romano | July 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIt gives the experience of the sweetest nectar of life, pure bliss consciousness.
David Lynch Discusses Transcendental Meditation in Los Angeles | Sean Macaulay | April 7, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTAnother choice is agave nectar, made from a type of cactus that grows in Mexico (yes, tequila fans, that cactus).
How to Watch Out for Hidden Sugar and Replace With Leaner Substitutes | Diana Le Dean | February 23, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTThen, as if succumbing to the charms of its nectar, the novel becomes more extravagant as it progresses.
Honey, which is produced by honeybees harvesting nectar from flowers, does a lot to encourage sexuality.
At least ten men be sides Gwynne were hovering about Dolly Boutts, like humming-birds about the nectar of a full-blown rose.
Ancestors | Gertrude AthertonThe nectar of the gods pales into nothingness when compared with a toddy such as I make, said he.
The Fifth String | John Philip SousaThe gods themselves were fed on nectar and ambrosia, that they might not die like ordinary mortals.
Beacon Lights of History, Volume I | John LordMary's eyes were fastened on the silver cups; were they brimmed with nectar of the old Greek gods that they should charm her so?
God Wills It! | William Stearns DavisThatcher has filled me amply with expensive urban food in this sylvan retreat—nectar and ambrosia.
A Hoosier Chronicle | Meredith Nicholson
British Dictionary definitions for nectar
/ (ˈnɛktə) /
a sugary fluid produced in the nectaries of plants and collected by bees and other animals
classical myth the drink of the gods: Compare ambrosia (def. 1)
any delicious drink, esp a sweet one
something very pleasant or welcome: your words are nectar to me
mainly US
the undiluted juice of a fruit
a mixture of fruit juices
Origin of nectar
1Derived forms of nectar
- nectareous (nɛkˈtɛərɪəs) or nectarous, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for nectar
[ nĕk′tər ]
A sweet liquid secreted by plants as food to attract animals that will benefit them. Many flowers produce nectar to attract pollinating insects, birds, and bats. Bees collect nectar to make into honey. Nectar is produced in structures called nectaries. Some plants have nectaries located elsewhere, outside the flower. These provide a food source for animals such as ants which in turn defend the plant from harmful insects. Nectar consists primarily of water and varying concentrations of many different sugars, including fructose, glucose, and sucrose.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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