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 WebIn fact, lilac blossoms are used by cooks because of their nectar to produce all manner things from wines to cookies. Jeff Lowenfels, Anchorage Daily News, 16 June 2022 Contrary to popular belief, though hummingbirds are attracted to the color red, your nectar doesn't have to be. Alison Allsopp, Country Living, 10 May 2022 Mistflower is often identified as the favorite nectar source in the spring and summer. Calvin Finch, San Antonio Express-News, 18 Mar. 2022 A single gallon of honey requires the nectar of about 5,000 flowers, Jones said.Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2022 But that uniformity is useless to bees and other pollinators that require pollen and nectar that other plants can provide. Nick Goltz, The Conversation, 16 Aug. 2022 To make the nectar, mix sugar and water in a 4-to-1 ratio, boil until the sugar dissolves, then refrigerate it. Lindsey M. Roberts, Washington Post, 28 July 2022 Perhaps our drought has reduced available food for the orioles, triggering an earlier departure? And don’t worry about your nectar feeders going unused. Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2022 Bees, butterflies and birds are everywhere among the grasses and flowers, sipping nectar and collecting seeds. Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2022 See More