banana skin

noun

1. the soft outer covering of a banana
2. informal.
   something unforeseen that causes an obvious and embarrassing mistake

Word History and Origins

Origin of banana skin¹

sense 2 from the common slapstick joke of a person slipping after treading on a banana skin

Example Sentences

A flower petal falling on the floor acts as a banana skin would, making a slip and a bad fall possible to anyone on the stage.

From Project Gutenberg

And you fell on a banana skin once yourself, and wanted to thrash the fellow who left it!

From Project Gutenberg

"I thought you hadn't been listening," put in Banana-Skin in a quiet and torturing way.

From Project Gutenberg

Everybody considered Banana-Skin to have elicited a damning admission.

From Project Gutenberg

Lift one section of a banana skin, remove fruit, fill with any desired salad and replace section of skin.

From Project Gutenberg