Ambrosias

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The food of the gods in Greek mythology, granting immortality and divine favor to those who consume it
2. A mythical substance believed to confer longevity and exceptional beauty, often associated with deities in various cultures
3. An exquisite delicacy or dish considered highly desirable, often used to describe something delightfully sweet or heavenly in taste

Etymology: The Greek gods did not eat ordinary food, and the word for what they ate meant "immortality" in its original sense. Ancient Greek "ambrosia" was built from "a-", meaning "not", and "brotos", meaning "mortal", so the substance's name literally announced that it made its eaters undying. It passed into Latin as "ambrosia", a "food of the gods", and from there into English. The concept proved far more durable than the Greek myths. Over time the word drifted from a divine diet toward anything exquisitely pleasing, and it now also names a sweet dessert and a fragrant sweetness of smell. The plural "ambrosias" is simply the form used when speaking of more than one such substance, or of several examples of the idea across different cultures.