ambrosia Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a mixture of nectar and pollen prepared by worker bees and fed to larvae
    beebread.
  2. noun any of numerous chiefly North American weedy plants constituting the genus Ambrosia that produce highly allergenic pollen responsible for much hay fever and asthma
    bitterweed; ragweed.
  3. noun fruit dessert made of oranges and bananas with shredded coconut
  4. noun (classical mythology) the food and drink of the gods; mortals who ate it became immortal
    nectar.

WordNet


Am*bro"sia noun
Etymology
L. ambrosia, Gr. , properly fem. of , fr. immortal, divine; priv. + mortal (because it was supposed to confer immortality on those who partook of it). stands for , akin to Skr. mrita, L. mortuus, dead, and to E. mortal.
Definitions
  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.
    His dewy locks distilled ambrosia. Milton.
  2. A perfumed unguent, salve, or draught; something very pleasing to the taste or smell. Spenser.
  3. Formerly, a kind of fragrant plant; now (Bot.), a genus of plants, including some coarse and worthless weeds, called ragweed, hogweed, etc.

Webster 1913