banyan

or ban·ian

[ ban-yuhn ]

/ ˈbæn yən /

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noun

Also called banyan tree . an East Indian fig tree, Ficus benghalensis, of the mulberry family, having branches that send out adventitious roots to the ground and sometimes cause the tree to spread over a wide area.

Also bania

[ban-yuh], /ˈbæn yə/, baniya

[ban-yuh, -ee-uh] /ˈbæn yə, -i ə/ . (in India)

a Hindu trader or merchant of a particular caste, the rules of which forbid eating flesh.
a loose shirt, jacket, or gown.

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Origin of banyan

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Portuguese (perhaps from Arabic ), from Gujarati vāṇiyo (singular) or vāṇiyā (plural) member of the merchant caste (compare Prakrit vāṇiaya, Sanskrit vāṇija trader); the tree is said to have taken its name from a particular tree of the species near which merchants had built a booth; source of final nasal uncertain

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use banyan in a sentence

Plenty of Jewish kids today grow up with a Christmas tree next to their menorah.
Harry Potter and the Torah of Terror|Candida Moss, Joel Baden|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
His most recommended plant was tree ivy—its juices sprayed up the nostrils.
History's Craziest Hangover Cures|Justin Jones|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Bohac vowed to that when he came back next year there would be no confusion about any Christmas tree or Santa aprons.
A Field General in the War on Christmas|David Freedlander|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If you Google “Muslim Christmas tree star” you will see a list of right-wing websites wetting their pants over this.
Why Muslims Love Jesus Too|Dean Obeidallah|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Civilians left flowers as well as a tiny frosted Christmas tree that had two red ornaments.
'Please Don't Die!': The Frantic Battle to Save Murdered Cops|Michael Daly|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This tiny person spent little or none of his time in the tree-tops, but chose to stay near the ground.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
Each tiny tree was a plume of leaves; the rows stretched out to the hilltop, and over.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
Wide and straight, well made and tree-lined throughout, it supplied the two great arteries of Indian life.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
I saw every crook in the fence, every rut in the road, every bush and tree long before we came to it.
The Soldier of the Valley|Nelson Lloyd
It was supposed by many on its discovery to grow like the engraving given—in form resembling a tree or shrub rather than an herb.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.

British Dictionary definitions for banyan

banyan

banian

/ (ˈbænjən) /

noun

a moraceous tree, Ficus benghalensis, of tropical India and the East Indies, having aerial roots that grow down into the soil forming additional trunks

a member of the Hindu merchant caste of N and W India

a loose-fitting shirt, jacket, or robe, worn originally in India

Word Origin for banyan

C16: from Hindi baniyā, from Sanskrit vānija merchant

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012