nectar

/'nektə/

Thân thiện

A honeybee collects nectar from a bright yellow sunflower.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • (Classical Mythology) The food and drink of the gods; mortals who ate it became immortal: In ancient myths, nectar is the divine sustenance consumed by deities.
   • A sweet liquid secretion that is attractive to pollinators: In botany, nectar is the sugary fluid produced by flowers to attract insects, birds, or other animals for pollination.
   • Fruit juice especially when undiluted: In a general culinary sense, nectar can refer to a thick, sweet fruit juice, often without added water.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Mythology):
  • The gods on Mount Olympus drank nectar and ate ambrosia.
  • In the story, the hero was offered nectar to grant him eternal life.
• Noun (Botany):
  • Bees collect nectar from flowers to make honey.
  • Hummingbirds are drawn to the nectar in trumpet-shaped blossoms.
• Noun (Beverage):
  • She prefers peach nectar to regular juice because it's thicker and sweeter.
  • The supermarket sells various nectars, like apricot and guava.

Advanced Usage

• "Nectar of the gods": An idiom describing an exceptionally delicious drink.
  • This vintage wine is truly the nectar of the gods.
• Ecological Context: Refers to the primary energy source in many plant-pollinator mutualisms.
  • The plant's nectar production increases during peak flowering season.

Variants and Related Words

• Nectareous (adj, literary): Resembling nectar, especially in sweetness.
  • The poet described her voice as nectareous.
• Nectary (n): The gland or part of a flower that secretes nectar.
  • Botanists study the nectary to understand plant reproduction.

Synonyms

• Ambrosia (specifically for the mythological food of the gods).
• Sap (though sap is typically from trees, not flowers).
• Syrup (for the thick, sweet juice connotation).

Related Phrases

• Nectar guide: Patterns on flowers that direct pollinators to the nectar.
  • The ultraviolet nectar guides are visible to bees but not to humans.
• Nectar robber: An animal that takes nectar without pollinating the flower.
  • Some ants are considered nectar robbers.

Related Idioms

• To be nectar to someone's ears: Something that is very pleasing or gratifying to hear. (A less common variant of "music to one's ears").
  • Your words of praise were nectar to my ears.

Học thuật

Noun

1. (classical mythology) the food and drink of the gods; mortals who ate it became immortal
2. fruit juice especially when undiluted
3. a sweet liquid secretion that is attractive to pollinators

Từ đồng nghĩa

• ambrosia