A sweet liquid produced by flowers to attract pollinators, or in mythology, the drink of the gods that conferred immortality. Used metaphorically for anything especially sweet or delightful.
From Latin 'nectar,' borrowed from Greek 'nektar,' possibly from 'nek-' (death) and '-tar' (overcoming), literally meaning 'death-overcoming.' In Greek mythology, nectar was the immortal beverage of the gods, paired with ambrosia as divine food.
The connection between flower nectar and divine nectar beautifully illustrates how ancient peoples saw the natural world as reflecting cosmic truths. Both types of nectar represent life-giving sweetness that transcends ordinary sustenance—one feeding pollinators, the other conferring immortality.
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