ambrosia
NounWordNet 3.0
Noun (4)
- a mixture of nectar and pollen prepared by worker bees and fed to larvaeSynonyms: beebread
- any of numerous chiefly North American weedy plants constituting the genus Ambrosia that produce highly allergenic pollen responsible for much hay fever and asthmaSynonyms: ragweedbitterweed
- fruit dessert made of oranges and bananas with shredded coconut
- (classical mythology) the food and drink of the gods; mortals who ate it became immortalSynonyms: nectar
Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)
ambrosia \am*bro"sia\ ([a^]m*br[=o]"zh[.a] or[a^]m*br[=o]"zh[i^]*[.a]; 277), n. [L. ambrosia, Gr. 'ambrosi`a, properly fem. of 'ambro`sios, fr. 'a`mbrotos immortal, divine; 'a priv. + broto`s mortal (because it was supposed to confer immortality on those who partook of it). broto`s stands for mroto`s, akin to Skr. m[.r]ita, L. mortuus, dead, and to E. mortal.]
1.(Myth.) (a) The fabled food of the gods (as nectar was their drink), which conferred immortality upon those who partook of it. (b) An unguent of the gods. [1913 Webster]
His dewy locks distilled ambrosia.— Milton.[1913 Webster]
2.A perfumed unguent, salve, or draught; something very pleasing to the taste or smell. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
3.Formerly, a kind of fragrant plant; now (Bot.), a genus of plants, including some coarse and worthless weeds, called ragweed, hogweed, etc. [1913 Webster]
4.(Zool.) The food of certain small bark beetles, family Scolytidae believed to be fungi cultivated by the beetles in their burrows. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
5.A dessert made from shredded coconuts and oranges, sometimes including other ingredients such as marshmallow. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]