Definition of vanilla
1a : vanilla beanb : a commercially important extract of the vanilla bean that is used especially as a flavoring
2 : any of a genus (Vanilla) of tropical American climbing epiphytic orchids
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Examples of vanilla in a Sentence
The frosting is flavored with vanilla.
Recent Examples of vanilla from the Web
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If making ahead and refrigerating, then be sure to bring it to room temperature before serving, or heat it up and top each serving with a dollop of premium vanilla ice cream or silky crème fraîche.
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The fast food chain will give away free vanilla cones all day July 16.
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Beat oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla until well blended and fold in zucchini.
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In a medium bowl, combine bananas, sour cream and vanilla.
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Three Tarts vanilla bean marshmallows, $9.50 for 10, amazon.com.
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A gourmand/beachy hybrid of coconut, banana, and vanilla?
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Sweet Laurel will be slicing from their entire menu of cakes—we’re talking chocolate caramel, vanilla coconut jam, carrot—and Caffe Luxxe will be pouring a bunch of different brews that pair with each flavor.
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The coconut milk and coconut cream used in the vanilla ice cream gives it a distinct overtone of coconut.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vanilla.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of vanilla
borrowed from New Latin, borrowed from Spanish vainilla “the vanilla plant and fruit,” diminutive of vaina “sheath, pod,” going back to Latin vāgīna “scabbard, sheath”; replacing earlier vaynilla, borrowed from Spanish
vanilla
Definition of vanilla
1 : flavored with vanilla
2 : lacking distinction : plain, ordinary, conventional
Examples of vanilla in a Sentence
The décor is pretty vanilla.
a plain vanilla version of a song that's been recorded more times than necessary
Did You Know?
For lexicographers, vanilla has more flavor than chocolate, because it adds a tasty synonym for plain to the English menu. The noun vanilla was first served up in 1662, but it took almost 200 years for its adjective use to become established for things, like ice and sugar, flavored with vanilla. By the 1970s vanilla was perceived as being the plain flavor of the ice-cream world, and people began using the word itself to describe anything plain, ordinary, or conventional.
First Known Use of vanilla
1846
VANILLA Defined for English Language Learners
vanilla
playDefinition of vanilla for English Language Learners
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: a dark substance that is made from the beans of a tropical plant and that is used to flavor food
vanilla
Definition of vanilla for English Language Learners
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: having the flavor of vanilla
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: not having any special features or qualities
VANILLA Defined for Kids
vanilla
playDefinition of vanilla for Students
: a substance extracted from vanilla beans and used as a flavoring especially for sweet foods and beverages
Medical Dictionary
Medical Definition of vanilla
1a: vanilla beanb: a commercially important extract of the vanilla bean that is prepared by soaking comminuted vanilla beans in water and ethyl alcohol and that is used especially as a flavoring (as in pharmaceutical preparations)
2: any of a genus (Vanilla) of tropical American climbing orchids
Learn More about vanilla
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See words that rhyme with vanilla Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for vanilla Spanish Central: Translation of vanilla Nglish: Translation of vanilla for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of vanilla for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vanilla
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