plantain

¹

[plan-tin, -tn]

noun

1. a tropical plant, Musa paradisiaca, of the banana family, resembling the banana.

2. its fruit, eaten cooked as a staple food in tropical regions.

plantain

²

[plan-tin, -tn]

noun

1. any plant of the genus Plantago, especially P. major, a weed with large, spreading leaves close to the ground and long, slender spikes of small flowers.

plantain

¹

/ ˈplæntɪn /

noun

1. a large tropical musaceous plant, Musa paradisiaca

2. the green-skinned banana-like fruit of this plant, eaten as a staple food in many tropical regions

plantain

²

/ ˈplæntɪn /

noun

1. any of various N temperate plants of the genus Plantago, esp P. major ( great plantain ), which has a rosette of broad leaves and a slender spike of small greenish flowers: family Plantaginaceae See also ribwort

Word History and Origins

Origin of plantain¹

1545–55; earlier pla ( n ) tan < Spanish plá ( n ) tano plantain, also plane tree < Medieval Latin pla ( n ) tanus, Latin platanus plane ³

Origin of plantain²

1350–1400; Middle English plauntein < Old French plantein < Latin plantāgin- (stem of plantāgō ), derivative of planta sole of the foot, literally, something flat and spread out, like the broad leaf of the plantain; akin to Greek platýs flat ¹; platy-

Word History and Origins

Origin of plantain¹

C16: from Spanish platano plantain, _{plane tree}

Origin of plantain²

C14 plauntein, from Old French plantein, from Latin plantāgō, from planta sole of the foot

Example Sentences

It is often used to fry food, mostly chicken, plantain strips, chips and pork.

From BBC

It’s a slow-roasted pork they make days in advance so it just falls apart, and they serve it with plantains.

From Los Angeles Times

Others said their customers preferred Tanzanian plantains over Malawian ones, describing the former as tastier, while the latter were often spongy.

From BBC

It was usually served with fried plantain, the spicy black pepper sauce "shito", boiled eggs, and sometimes even spaghetti or fried fish.

From BBC

The US island territory's red, white and blue flag adorns homes and businesses, and the sounds of salsa and reggaetón boom from passing cars and restaurants selling fried plantains and spit-roasted pork.

From BBC