banana
Americannoun
-
a tropical plant of the genus Musa, certain species of which are cultivated for their nutritious fruit.
-
the fruit, especially that of M. paradisiaca, with yellow or reddish rind.
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
Etymology
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
Explanation
A banana is a curved, yellow fruit with a thick skin and soft sweet flesh. If you eat a banana every day for breakfast, your roommate might nickname you "the monkey." A banana is a tropical fruit that's quite popular all over the world. It grows in bunches on a banana tree. To "go bananas" is a slangy way of saying "go crazy" or act ridiculous, and if someone refers to the "top banana," they mean the most important person in a particular group. The origin of banana isn't certain, but it's thought that it was borrowed by the Spanish or Portuguese from an African word, probably the Wolof word banana.
Vocabulary lists containing banana
Yellow
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Spelling Practice 2, Unit 7
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Toss in a banana, add some berries, blend, and you have what looks like a perfectly healthy drink.
From Science Daily • May 24, 2026
During one warehouse visit, a picker fulfilled an order of banana chips and chocolate in about 90 seconds, guided by a hand-held device directing her to each shelf.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026
“That is a cute little wild dog. … The effervescence there. I hope they eat a banana just like they always do.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
When the BBC visited, Wei was having mashed banana with his friends at the home.
From BBC • May 7, 2026
However, the box the banana is in is made of atoms, too.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
