plural banyans
Definition of banyan
: a large fig tree (Ficus benghalensis) native to India and Pakistan that starts as an epiphyte and has spreading branches which send out aerial roots that grow down to the ground and form secondary trunks around the host tree
The banyan kills the host tree by preventing its trunk from growing. After the host dies, the banyan continues to grow. Eventually, one tree appears to be an entire forest. — National Geographic World
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for banyan
The first known use of banyan was in 1638
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