banana

noun

ba·​nana bə-ˈna-nə 

 especially British  -ˈnä-

1

: an elongated usually tapering tropical fruit with soft pulpy flesh enclosed in a soft usually yellow rind

a bunch of bananas

slipped on a banana peel

2

: any of several widely cultivated perennial often treelike herbs (genus Musa of the family Musaceae, the banana family) bearing bananas in compact pendent bunches

Illustration of banana

• banana 2

Examples of banana in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The test includes a slate of new items for customers to choose from, including a hash brown casserole shepherd’s pie, green chile cornbread, chicken n’ dumpling soup, cinnamon bread French toast and banana pudding for dessert. —Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 26 June 2024

Dates are fiber-rich, sweet as candy and contain more potassium than a banana. —Brenna Gauchat, The Arizona Republic, 24 June 2024

Ecuador has been one of the largest producers of bananas since the 1950s. —Juliet Kinsman, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 June 2024

Any last words on being the banana queen? Eat your bananas. —Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 21 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Spanish or Portuguese; Spanish, from Portuguese, of African origin; akin to Wolof banaana banana

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing banana

• banana bread
• banana clip
• banana oil
• banana pepper
• banana republic
• banana seat
• banana split
• second banana
• slip on a banana skin/peel
• top banana

Kids Definition

banana

noun

ba·​nana bə-ˈnan-ə 

: a treelike tropical plant with large leaves and flower clusters that develop into a bunch of finger-shaped fruit which are usually yellow when ripe

also : its fruit