ambrosia

[am-broh-zhuh] /æmˈbroʊ ʒə/
noun
1.
Classical Mythology. the food of the gods.
Compare nectar (def 3).
2.
something especially delicious to taste or smell.
3.
a fruit dessert made of oranges and shredded coconut and sometimes pineapple.
Origin
1545-55; < Latin < Greek: immortality, food of the gods, noun use of feminine of ambrósios, equivalent to a- a-6 + -mbros- (combining form of brotōs mortal; akin to Latin mortuus dead, murder) + -ios adj. suffix; replacing Middle English ambrose, ambrosie < Old French ambroise < Latin
Examples from the web for ambrosia
  • At her request, one customer was served ambrosia without kiwi.
  • Alternately dry and sweet on the palate, this syrupy ambrosia brings to mind honey, apricots and marzipan.
  • He could handle the ambrosia of a new lover and all the mindless meandering that entailed.
  • The crisp air and cool shade of the area are still ambrosia to vacationers.
  • They obeyed, and led forth from the lofty stalls the steeds full fed with ambrosia, and attached the reins.
  • The ambrosia salad, replete with marshmallows and mandarin oranges, was surprisingly delicate.
  • ambrosia bottling company was in the background as well.
British Dictionary definitions for ambrosia

ambrosia

/æmˈbrəʊzɪə/
noun
1.
(classical myth) the food of the gods, said to bestow immortality Compare nectar (sense 2)
2.
anything particularly delightful to taste or smell
3.
another name for beebread
4.
any of various herbaceous plants constituting the genus Ambrosia, mostly native to America but widely naturalized: family Asteraceae (composites). The genus includes the ragweeds
Derived Forms
ambrosial, ambrosian, adjective
ambrosially, adverb
Word Origin
C16: via Latin from Greek: immortality, from ambrotos, from a-1 + brotos mortal
Word Origin and History for ambrosia
n.

1550s, "favored food or drink of the gods," from Latin ambrosia, from Greek ambrosia "food of the gods," fem. of ambrosios, probably literally "of the immortals," from a- "not" (see a- (3)) + mbrotos, related to mortos "mortal," from PIE *mer- "to die" (see mortal (adj.)). Applied to certain herbs by Pliny and Dioscorides; used of various foods for mortals since 1680s (originally of fruit drinks); used figuratively for "anything delightful" by 1731.

ambrosia in Culture
ambrosia [(am-broh-zhuh)]

The food of the gods in classical mythology. Those who ate it became immortal.

Note: Particularly delicious food is sometimes called “ambrosia.”