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

The bananas obsessed creatures won’t stop: Universal Pictures will release Illumination’s Minions 3 on Wed, June 30, 2027. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 11 July 2024

On your countertop, place avocados near a banana, kiwi, Red Delicious apple, or Golden Delicious apple (those two apple varieties produce more ethylene than others). —Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 July 2024

The new McFlurry, also available for a limited time only beginning on June 10, blends vanilla soft serve with real banana bits, strawberry clusters and Kit Kat pieces. —Miles Berry, Peoplemag, 10 July 2024

Who has time to plan festivities when the world is bananas? —EW.com, 9 July 2024

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

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