banana

[ buh-nan-uh ]
/ bəˈnæn ə /

noun

a tropical plant of the genus Musa, certain species of which are cultivated for their nutritious fruit. Compare banana family.
the fruit, especially that of M. paradisiaca, with yellow or reddish rind.

Origin of banana

1590–1600; < Spanish < Portuguese (perhaps via Sp); akin to various words for banana or plantain in WAfr languages (e.g., Wolof, Malinke banana, Vai (Mande language of Liberia) bana), but ultimate source and direction of borrowing uncertain

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH banana

banana plantain1

Example sentences from the Web for banana

British Dictionary definitions for banana

banana
/ (bəˈnɑːnə) /

noun

any of several tropical and subtropical herbaceous treelike plants of the musaceous genus Musa, esp M. sapientum, a widely cultivated species propagated from suckers and having hanging clusters of edible fruit
the crescent-shaped fruit of any of these plants Compare plantain 2

Word Origin for banana

C16: from Spanish or Portuguese, of African origin

Idioms and Phrases with banana

banana