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

Beyond muscle-relieving massages, Sofitel Spa offers holistic facials and banana leaf wraps as well. — Demarco Williams, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Most banana pudding is really vanilla pudding layered with bananas and wafers. — Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 21 Aug. 2026

The banana releases ethylene, a chemical that helps tomatoes soften and ripen quicker. — Jessica Farthing, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2026

Videos posted on social media show sellers at Tehran and Karaj wholesale markets sitting beside their fresh produce, waiting to sell goods like melons, watermelons, pears, bananas and grapes, but with no-one arriving to buy it. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026

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

Rhymes for banana

• arana
• arcana
• bandana
• bandanna
• brahmana
• cabana
• campana
• diana
• fianna
• hosanna
• hyaena
• lantana

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