Banks

American  

[bangks] / bæŋks /

noun

1. Sir Joseph, 1734–1820, English naturalist.

2. Nathaniel Prentiss 1816–94, U.S. army officer and politician: Speaker of the House 1856–57.

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Banks British  

/ bæŋks /

noun

1. Iain ( Menzies ). 1954–2013, Scottish novelist and science fiction writer. His novels include The Wasp Factory (1984), The Crow Road (1992), and The Steep Approach to Garbadale (2007); science-fiction (under the name Iain M. Banks) includes Look to Windward (2000)

2. Sir Joseph . 1743–1820, British botanist and explorer: circumnavigated the world with James Cook (1768–71)

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Banks Scientific  

/ băngks /

1. British botanist who took part in Captain James Cook's voyage around the world (1768–1771), during which he discovered and cataloged many species of plant and animal life.

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Example Sentences

Banks across Wall Street should reap substantial investment-banking fees from the SpaceX deal.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

Banks and funds have overlapping exposure to borrowers.

From MarketWatch • May 20, 2026

Banks are privately owned, but the devastating risks that bank runs impose on the broader economy aren’t.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

Brian Banks, a teacher at Hazelwood College, Newtownabbey, said it's a big debate in the sector, with different schools adapting different policies.

From BBC • May 16, 2026

By time I came along, most everybody in Banks County thought General Tweedy had been a high monkity-monk in the Army of the Confederacy instead of just in the home guard.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns