nectar

Meanings

1. 1noununcountablebiology

   A sweet liquid produced by flowers that attracts insects and birds and is collected by bees to make honey.

   Grammar: Uncountable; no plural form. Use 'a drop of nectar' to count.

   Patterns

   • nectar from flowers
   • collect nectar
   • feed on nectar

   Bees collect nectar from flowers to make honey.

   Butterflies feed on the nectar of these plants.

   The flower produces a sweet nectar that attracts hummingbirds.

2. 2noununcountableliteraryreligion

   In Greek and Roman mythology, the drink of the gods.

   Grammar: Uncountable; often used in literary or figurative contexts.

   Patterns

   • drink nectar
   • nectar of the gods

   In ancient myths, the gods drank nectar and ate ambrosia.

   The poet described the wine as nectar of the gods.

3. 3noununcountablefigurative

   A delicious or refreshing drink.

   Grammar: Often used figuratively or humorously; can be countable in some contexts like 'a nectar' but rare.

   Patterns

   • a glass of nectar
   • taste like nectar

   After the long hike, the cold water tasted like nectar.

   This mango juice is pure nectar.

Common combinations

flower nectar

The butterfly sipped flower nectar.

collect nectar

Bees collect nectar to make honey.

nectar of the gods

The dessert was described as nectar of the gods.

sweet nectar

The hummingbird drank the sweet nectar.

Synonyms and how they differ

ambrosia

In mythology, the food of the gods; sometimes used for something delicious.

juice

A liquid from fruit or plants; less specific and not necessarily sweet.

Word family

nectary noun

A plant part that produces nectar.

nectarous adjective

Sweet like nectar.

Commonly confused: nectar or nectarine?

Practice

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