nectar

[nek-ter]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR nectar ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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

1545–55; < Latin < Greek néktar

Related formsnec·tar·like, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for nectar

honey, ambrosia, drink, wine, amrita

Examples from the Web for nectar

Contemporary Examples of nectar

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
Then, as if succumbing to the charms of its nectar, the novel becomes more extravagant as it progresses.
3 Must-Read Novels
The Daily Beast
April 11, 2011

Historical Examples of nectar

This ape has eaten the peaches, has drunk the nectar and also swallowed the pills of life.
The Chinese Fairy Book
Various
With that they took the first swallow of the nectar that Lub had brewed.
Phil Bradley's Mountain Boys
Silas K. Boone
It was nectar when we came to taste it It was of the kingliest, the most imperial.'
Despair's Last Journey
David Christie Murray
It was nectar—it was happiness—it was life—though he could have drunk ten times the amount!
The Long Roll
Mary Johnston
Even the honey on Mount Athos satisfieth not; and nectar leaveth its void.
Sir Ludar
Talbot Baines Reed

British Dictionary definitions for nectar

nectar

noun

a sugary fluid produced in the nectaries of plants and collected by bees and other animals

classical myth the drink of the godsCompare ambrosia (def. 1)

any delicious drink, esp a sweet one

something very pleasant or welcomeyour words are nectar to me

mainly US

the undiluted juice of a fruit
a mixture of fruit juices

Derived Formsnectareous (nɛkˈtɛərɪəs) or nectarous, adjective

Word Origin for nectar

C16: via Latin from Greek néktar, perhaps nek- death (related to nekros corpse) + -tar, related to Sanskrit tarati he overcomes; compare Latin nex death and trans across

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

Word Origin and History for nectar

1550s, from Latin nectar, from Greek nektar, name of the drink of the gods, which is said to be a compound of nek- "death" (see necro-) + -tar "overcoming," from PIE *tere- "to cross over, pass through, overcome." Meaning "sweet liquid in flowers" first recorded c.1600.

nectar in Science

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.