noun · neuterthird declension
nectar
nectar n sg (genitive nectaris)
Classical[ˈnɛk.tar]Ecclesiastical[ˈnɛk.tar]
Meaning
- neutersingularnectar
[...] aut cum liquentia mella stīpant et dulcī distendunt nectare cellās, aut onera accipiunt venientum, [...].
[…], or when [honeybees] press the liquid honey and swell the cells with sweet nectar, or gather the burdens of incoming [bees], ….29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 1.432–434
Declension
| form | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | nectar | — |
| genitive | nectaris | — |
| dative | nectarī | — |
| accusative | nectar | — |
| ablative | nectare | — |
| vocative | nectar | — |
nectar, ăris, n., = νεκταρ,
I. nectar, the drink of the gods.
I. Lit.:
non enim ambrosiā deos aut nectare ... laetari, arbitror, Cic. Tusc. 1, 26, 65; cf. id. N. D. 1, 40, 112; Ov. M. 3, 318; 10, 161; 14, 606; Hor. C. 3, 3, 12; 34 al.: nectaris ambrosii sacrum potare lyaeum, Prud. ap. Symm. 1, 276; as balsam, Ov M. 4, 250; 252: siccato nectare Vulcanus, Juv. 13, 45.—II. Poet. transf., of any thing sweet, pleasant, delicious, nectar.—So of fragrant balm, Ov. M. 4, 250; 10, 732.—Of honey:
aliae (apes) purissima mella Stipant et liquido distendunt nectare cellas, Verg. G. 4, 164.— Of milk: quid meruistis oves...pleno quae fertis in ubere nectar, Ov. M. 15, 116; cf., of bread and milk: Picentina Ceres niveo sic nectare crescit, Mart. 13, 47, 1.—Of wine: vina novum fundam calathis Ariusia nectar, Verg. E. 5, 71; id. G. 4, 384; Ov. M. 1, 111: Baccheum, Stat. S. 2, 2, 99.—Of a pleasant odor: et nardi florem, nectar qui naribus halat, Lucr. 2, 848.—Hence, trop., of poetry: cantare credas Pegaseium nectar, Pers. prol. 14.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
nectar aris, n
, νέκταρ, nectar, drink of the gods: nectare laetari: Quos (deos) inter bibit nectar, H.: siccato nectare Volcanus, Iu.: odoratum, balm, O.: (apes) distendunt nectare cellas, i. e. honey, V.: oves . . . quae fertis in ubere nectar, i. e. milk, O.: quae (oscula) Venus Quintā parte sui nectaris imbuit, i. e. sweetness, H.
Origins
From Ancient Greek νέκταρ (néktar), from Proto-Indo-European *néḱ-tr̥h₂, derived from the roots *neḱ- (“to perish”) and *terh₂- (“to overcome”).
Descendants
- Englishnectar
- Frenchnectar
- Italiannettare
- Portuguesenéctar
- Romaniannectar
- Spanishnéctar