# nectar

/ˈnɛktɝ/ (US) · /nˈɛktɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/nectar
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. botany

noun · CEFR B2

the sweet liquid that flowers produce to attract bees, butterflies, and birds.

For teachers: a sugary fluid secreted by plants, especially within flowers to encourage pollination by insects or birds.

- The bees spent the whole afternoon collecting nectar from the bright red flowers.
- Pollinators are drawn to the floral display not just by colour, but by the high sugar content of the nectar hidden deep within the corolla.

Usage: Uncountable when referring to the substance generally; countable when referring to specific types.

### 3. mythology

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary

the special drink of the gods in ancient Greek and Roman stories.

For teachers: the drink of the gods in classical mythology, often associated with ambrosia and said to confer immortality.

- In the old legends, the gods sat on the mountain drinking nectar.
- Classical poets often depicted the Olympian deities feasting upon ambrosia and sipping nectar from golden chalices.

### 4. to feed

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to drink or eat the sweet liquid from flowers.

For teachers: to consume or forage for nectar; used primarily in biological descriptions of insect or bird behaviour.

- We watched the hummingbirds nectar at the feeder for several minutes.
- The study observed how various butterfly species would nectar on native wildflowers compared to introduced garden varieties.

Usage: Intransitive verb; often followed by the preposition 'on'.

## Examples

- Bees fly from flower to flower to collect nectar.
- The hummingbird uses its long beak to reach the nectar hidden deep inside the trumpet-shaped flowers.
- In Greek mythology, nectar was served alongside ambrosia to maintain the eternal youth of the Olympian deities, a concept often echoed in poetry to describe any exceptionally delicious drink.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.