banana

noun

ba·​nana bə-ˈna-nə How to pronounce banana (audio)
 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

Illustration of banana
  • banana 2

Examples of banana in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Remove Trash Discard rotting produce, and don’t leave food waste like banana peels on your counter, says Oi. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 10 Oct. 2025 California has 42 official state symbols after Governor Newsom signed three bills to create new symbols in 2024, including the Dungeness crab as the state crustacean, the banana slug as the state slug, and the black abalone as the state seashell. Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025 Special drinks include the Siesta (Altos Blanco, Campari and lime and grapefruit juice); the Basil Daiquiri (rum, St Germain, chartreuse, lime and basil); the Tropical Old Fashioned (Brugal 1888, banana, pineapple, bitters and coconut sugar); and the French 75 (cognac, lemon and champagne). Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2025 So this is a way to get that without having to rely on anything weird or pureed banana into anything. Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for banana

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of banana was in 1597

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Banana.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/banana. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

banana

noun
ba·​nana bə-ˈnan-ə How to pronounce banana (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on banana

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