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.
One banana has about 400 milligrams of potassium, said Alexandra Rosenstock, RD, CDN, a dietitian at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian, told Verywell. Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 18 July 2025 On the other hand, bananas are sweeter and usually are eaten raw. Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 18 July 2025 Small wooden boats had come across the Caribbean Sea from Venezuela to sell their tropical bounty: avocados, bananas, guava, kiwi, mangoes, melons and Jalapeño peppers. The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 18 July 2025 Sporting a new look brought to life in high fidelity graphics, Donkey Kong appears powerful — majestic, even — but quickly sheds the veneer for a goofy smile and banana icons in his eyes. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 16 July 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 26 Jul. 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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