banana skin
Britishnoun
-
the soft outer covering of a banana
-
informal something unforeseen that causes an obvious and embarrassing mistake
Etymology
Origin of banana skin
sense 2 from the common slapstick joke of a person slipping after treading on a banana skin
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.
The former world number one did not make it easy for herself but managed to survive a potential banana skin, having gone 3-4 down in the deciding set.
From BBC ● Jan. 20, 2026
So, with Rodri missing, on top of Chelsea's youth, energy and especially the fact they were playing at Stamford Bridge, I did think this game could be a banana skin for them.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2024
For example, the plants glowed much more strongly when a ripe banana skin was nearby.
From NewsForKids.net ● Jan. 19, 2024
Strawberry syrup and banana skin preserved in gesso offer bright, sticky-sweet contrast in some shadows.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2023
And he became as pale as a dried banana skin.
From "Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse
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.
