Main Entry:

ba·nana

Pronunciation:

\bə-ˈna-nə, especially British -ˈnä-\

Function:

noun

Usage:

often attributive

Etymology:

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

Date:

1597

1 : an elongated usually tapering tropical fruit with soft pulpy flesh enclosed in a soft usually yellow rind 2 : any of several widely cultivated perennial herbs (genus Musa of the family Musaceae, the banana family) bearing bananas in compact pendent bunches

[banana illustration]