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

Includes gardening tips to grow perfect perennials and chiles for every palate, plus articles on delicious Ukrainian food dishes and Christmas family traditions, banana recipe contest winners and practical life advice. —Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Nov. 2025

Many residents abandoned the banana fields, the village's main source of income, to ferry migrants downriver. —Daniel Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 5 Nov. 2025

Fried fish paired with farofa, the popular cassava-flour side dish, made there with clams and bananas. —David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025

For deluxe 9-inch pies, flavors include chocolate chip pecan, mince, caramel cinnamon apple, sweet potato, banana cream, chess, key lime, meringue (lemon, chocolate chip, butterscotch and coconut), plus sugar free apple ($23 each). —Kathryn Gregory, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Nov. 2025

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