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

McDonald’s limited time McFlurry sensations include the Kit Kat Banana Split McFlurry featuring vanilla soft serve blended ice cream with banana and strawberry clusters and chocolatey, crunchy pieces of Kit Kat wafer bites. —Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 5 Sep. 2024

In the fridge, keep ethylene-producers in a different crisper drawer than ethylene-sensitive items like bananas, broccoli, citrus, melons, and stone fruit. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2024

For dinner, begin with the fried chicken, crunchy bites of boneless meat coated in sweet chili sauce, topped with fresh herbs, jalapeño and shallots with roasted banana ketchup for dipping. —Jennifer Kester, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024

Their thoughtful designs embrace eco-conscious living with unconventional materials such as banana fiber and blown glass. —Sofia Celeste, WWD, 5 Sep. 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