[nek-ter] 
| 1. | the saccharine secretion of a plant, which attracts the insects or birds that pollinate the flower. |
| 2. | the juice of a fruit, esp. when not diluted, or a blend of fruit juices: pear nectar; tropical nectar. |
| 3. | Classical Mythology. the life-giving drink of the gods. Compare ambrosia (def. 1). |
| 4. | any delicious drink. |
| nec·tar (něk'tər) n.
[Latin, from Greek nektar, drink of the gods; see nek-1 in Indo-European roots.] nec'tar·ous adj. |
| nectar (něk'tər) Pronunciation Key
A sweet liquid secreted by plants as food to attract animals that will benefit them. Many flowers produce nectar to attract pollinating insects, birds, and bats. Bees collect nectar to make into honey. Nectar is produced in structures called nectaries. Some plants have nectaries located elsewhere, outside the flower. These provide a food source for animals such as ants which in turn defend the plant from harmful insects. Nectar consists primarily of water and varying concentrations of many different sugars, including fructose, glucose, and sucrose. |
nectar
sweet, viscous secretion from the nectaries, or glands, in plant blossoms, stems, and leaves. It attracts fruit-eating bats, hummingbirds, and insects, who aid in effecting pollination by transferring from plant to plant the pollen that clings to their bodies. Nectar is the raw material used by the honeybee to produce honey. Mainly a watery solution of the sugars fructose, glucose, and sucrose, it also contains traces of proteins, salts, acids, and essential oils. Sugar content varies from 3 to 80 percent, depending upon such factors as flower species and soil and air conditions. Honeybees gather nectar mainly from the blossoms and rarely gather nectars having less than 15 percent sugar content.
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