banana

[buh-nan-uh]

noun

1. a tropical plant of the genus Musa, certain species of which are cultivated for their nutritious fruit.

2. the fruit, especially that of M. paradisiaca, with yellow or reddish rind.

banana

/ bəˈnɑːnə /

noun

1. 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

2. the crescent-shaped fruit of any of these plants Compare plantain 2

Word History and Origins

Origin of banana¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of banana¹

C16: from Spanish or Portuguese, of African origin

Idioms and Phrases

• drive someone crazy (bananas)
• go bananas
• top banana

Example Sentences

Foods high in potassium—sweet potatoes, salmon, spinach, avocados, bananas—are also healthy.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Volunteers there fill hydration packs and pass out hundreds of peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches, bananas, watermelon slices, potato chips, fruit pies and boiled potatoes dusted with salt.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Its agro-ecological diversity is critical for subsistence farming and staple food crops, such as avocados, cassava and maize, as well as export products like cocoa, coffee, bananas and cotton.

Read more on Barron's

Like the other night, there were two guys dressed as bright yellow bananas in the mosh pit.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He then struck a cleaner in the arm, threw a banana at him and slapped another resident in the hotel lobby.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• actor 
• clown 
• comic 
• entertainer 
• humorist