plantain

1 of 2

noun (1)

plan·​tain ˈplan-tᵊn 

: any of a genus (Plantago of the family Plantaginaceae, the plantain family) of herbs with basal rosettes of usually lanceolate or elliptical leaves and spikes of minute greenish flowers

plantain

2 of 2

noun (2)

plan·​tain plan-ˈtān 

ˈplan-ˌtān, 

ˈplan-tᵊn

1

: the angular greenish starchy fruit of the plantain that is a staple food in the tropics when cooked

2

: a banana plant (Musa paradisiaca)

Examples of plantain in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Tur recommends eating it with salty plantain chips at the Little Limon rooftop, or steps from the sea at Marker 88. —Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 30 May 2026

Despite their morphological differences, contemporary bananas and plantains aren’t considered distinct species by scientific botanical standards. —Sophia Rey, JSTOR Daily, 28 May 2026

Uncover; skim off/discard any fat that accumulates on the surface, then add the potatoes, yuca, pumpkin, plantains and corn, stirring to distribute evenly. —Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 22 May 2026

Hethington swaps the sliced plantain for his own pasta, made primarily with puréed plantains, some tapioca starch and a little bit of all-purpose flour. —Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin plantagin-, plantago, from planta sole of the foot; from its broad leaves — more at place

Noun (2)

Spanish plántano, plátano plane tree, banana tree, from Medieval Latin plantanus plane tree, alteration of Latin platanus — more at plane entry 4

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing plantain

• plantain lily
• rattlesnake plantain
• water plantain

Rhymes for plantain

• dilantin

Kids Definition

plantain

1 of 2 noun

plan·​tain ˈplant-ᵊn 

: any of several common weeds having a short stem or none at all, leaves with parallel veins, and a long stalk of tiny greenish flowers

plantain

2 of 2 noun

: the large greenish starchy fruit of a kind of banana plant that is eaten cooked and is an important food in the tropics

also : this plant

Medical Definition

plantain

noun

plan·​tain ˈplant-ᵊn 

: any plant of the genus Plantago