nectar

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*neḱ-“perish, disappear”
2. Ancient Greek · derived fromνέκταρ“nourishment of the gods”
3. Latin · borrowed fromnectar
4. English todaynectar

From Latin nectar, from Ancient Greek νέκταρ (néktar, “nourishment of the gods”), from Proto-Indo-European *neḱ- (“perish, disappear”) + *-tr̥h₂ (“overcoming”), from *terh₂- (“to overcome, pass through, cross over”).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 16th c. The drink of the gods.
• from 16th c. Any delicious drink, now especially a type of sweetened fruit juice.
• from 17th c. The sweet liquid secreted by flowers to attract pollinating insects and birds.