second banana

noun

Updated on: 15 Mar 2018

Definition of second banana

: a comedian who plays a supporting role to a top banana; broadly : a person in a subservient position

See second banana defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of second banana from the Web

Caribbean beaches are justifiably world famous, but the region’s resort pools are no second banana.

— melanie reffes, USA TODAY, "Best pools in the Caribbean, 2018 edition," 20 Feb. 2018
They sort of get relegated to second banana status, given the film’s point of view.

— jack greiner, Cincinnati.com, "'The Post' doesn't give The New York Times its fair due," 25 Jan. 2018
Van Dam, a bumbling, subservient second banana who had occasional moments of pathos, was a reliable source of laughs on the show, which ran until 1997.

— daniel e. slotnik, New York Times, "Jerry Van Dyke, ‘Coach’ Actor and Foil for His Brother, Dick, Dies at 86," 6 Jan. 2018
He was also obsessed with playing second banana to The Times, as the movie indicates.

— sam roberts, New York Times, "Who’s Who in ‘The Post’: A Guide to the Players in a Pivotal Era," 25 Dec. 2017
Derrick Henry was an effective second banana, picking up 54 yards on 13 totes.

— michael beller, SI.com, "Seahawks' Defense Struggled Against Titans, Giving Up Too Many Big Plays," 25 Sep. 2017
But Sanchez is one hell of a second banana, and a huge reason why the Yankees are on the verge of just their second playoff berth in five years.

— SI.com, "8. New York Yankees (77–65, plus-152, LT: 6)," 11 Sep. 2017
Like his character, Mr. Boseman is the star of this show, while Mr. Gad is the second banana and often comic relief.

— manohla dargis, New York Times, "Review: In ‘Marshall,’ a Legal Pioneer Gives History a Shove," 12 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'second banana.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.