What does "ambrosia" mean?
The food of the gods, thought to confer immortality.
Ambrosia
/æmˈbɹoʊʒə/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The food of the gods, thought to confer immortality.
- Grammar: ambrosia is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: ambergris, aromatic, aromatic gum, aromatic water.
- Useful contrasts: disgust, main course, poison.
- Usage evidence: Tom tried to steal the gods' nectar and ambrosia.
How to use "ambrosia"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "ambrosia" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "ambrosia" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "ambrosia" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "ambrosia" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "ambrosia" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ambergris" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "ambrosia", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The food of the gods, thought to confer immortality. Greek, Roman, countable, uncountable
"He had a most intense admiration of female loveliness, and looked upon woman as a kind of super-angelic being, whose food should be the ambrosiæ and nectar of the gods, and whose garments the spotless white of vestal purity."
- 2 (classical mythology) the food and drink of the gods; mortals who ate it became immortal wordnet
- 3 The anointing-oil of the gods. Greek, Roman, countable, uncountable
- 4 fruit dessert made of oranges and bananas with shredded coconut wordnet
- 5 Any food with an especially delicious flavour or fragrance. countable, uncountable
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 any of numerous chiefly North American weedy plants constituting the genus Ambrosia that produce highly allergenic pollen responsible for much hay fever and asthma wordnet
- 7 Anything delightfully sweet and pleasing. countable, uncountable
"A favorite. It’s refreshing now and will evolve into golden ambrosia with age. […] The dessert wines of the Loire Valley and AJsace also deserve recognition. From the Anjou area of the Loire come the ambrosiae of Savennières, Bonnezeaux, and Quarts de Chaume."
- 8 a mixture of nectar and pollen prepared by worker bees and fed to larvae wordnet
- 9 An annual herb historically used medicinally and in cooking, Dysphania botrys. countable, uncountable
- 10 A mixture of nectar and pollen prepared by worker bees and fed to larvae. countable, uncountable
- 11 Any fungus of a number of species that insects such as ambrosia beetles carry as symbionts, "farming" them on poor-quality food such as wood, where they grow, providing food for the insect. countable, uncountable
- 12 A dessert originating in the Southern United States made of shredded coconuts and tropical fruits such as pineapples and oranges; some recipes also include ingredients such as marshmallow and cream. countable, uncountable
- 13 A plant of the genus Ambrosia. countable, uncountable
"Their disease does not appear before August. At this time, throughout the entire United States one could say, not only in every field, in every meadow and in every forest, but even in the largest cities, there blooms the ambrosiæ, which are commonly known as ragweed; […]"
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Tom tried to steal the gods' nectar and ambrosia."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "ambrosia"?
Common synonyms include: ambergris, aromatic, aromatic gum, aromatic water, artificial sweetener, aspic.
How do you use "ambrosia" in a sentence?
Tom tried to steal the gods' nectar and ambrosia.
How do you pronounce "ambrosia"?
Pronounced /æmˈbɹoʊʒə/.
Etymology
From Latin ambrosia (“food of the gods”), from Ancient Greek ἀμβροσία (ambrosía, “immortality”), from ἄμβροτος (ámbrotos, “immortal”), from ἀ- (a-, “not”) + βροτός (brotós, “mortal”).