ambrosia
UK[æmˈbrəʊziə]US[æmˈbroʊʒə]
n
the food of the gods in ancient greek and roman mythology, said to give immortality.
n
something with an extremely pleasant taste or smell.
n
a dessert made of oranges and shredded coconut, often with other fruits or nuts.
Etymology
the word ambrosia entered english in the mid-16th century via latin from the greek 'ambrosia', meaning 'immortality' or 'elixir of life'. this greek term is derived from 'ambrotos', meaning 'immortal', which itself is formed from the negative prefix 'a-' (not) and 'mbrotos' (mortal), a derivative of 'brotos' (mortal man). the core logic is a direct negation of mortality. in mythology, ambrosia was the substance that conferred immortality upon the gods. this literal meaning evolved through association, first to describe any divine, fragrant substance, and then metaphorically to any food or drink of exquisite flavor or aroma in modern english.
Analysis
the word is a direct loanword from latin and greek, adopted as a whole unit into english. it is not productively formed from smaller, recognizable english morphemes.
Examples
in the myth, the gods on mount olympus sustained themselves on ambrosia and nectar.
the aroma from the bakery was pure ambrosia, drawing people in from the street.
for the potluck, she brought a classic southern ambrosia salad with citrus and coconut.