ambrosia \ am-BROH-zhee-uh \ noun
1a : the food of the Greek and Roman gods1b : the ointment or perfume of the gods
2: something extremely pleasing to taste or smell
3: a dessert made of oranges and shredded coconut
EXAMPLE:
"The pork loin was animal ambrosia nestled tenderly in great gravy. My taste buds treasure the memory…."— Tony Stein, The Virginian-Pilot, April 20, 2014
DID YOU KNOW?
"Ambrosia" literally means
"immortality" in Greek; it is derived from the Greek word "ambrotos"
("immortal"), which combines the prefix "a-" (meaning
"not") with "mbrotos" ("mortal"). In Greek and
Roman mythology, only the immortals—gods and goddesses—could eat ambrosia.
Those mythological gods and goddesses also drank "nectar," the
original sense of which refers to the "drink of the gods."
"Nectar" (in Greek, "nektar") may have implied immortality
as well; "nektar" is believed to have carried the literal meaning
"overcoming death." While the ambrosia of the gods implied
immortality, we mere mortals use "ambrosia" in reference to things
that just taste or smell especially delicious. Similarly, "nectar"
can now simply mean "something delicious to drink."
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