[plan.tain] n [ME, fr. OF, fr. L plantagin-, plantago, fr. planta sole of the foot; fr. its broad leaves--more at place] (13c): any of a genus (Plantago of the family Plantaginaceae, the plantain family) of short-stemmed elliptic-leaved herbs with spikes of minute greenish flowers
[2]plantain n [Sp plantano, platano plane tree, banana tree, fr. ML plantanus plane tree, alter. of L platanus--more at plane] (1555) 1: a banana plant (Musa paradisiaca)
2: the angular greenish starchy fruit of the plantain that is a staple food in the tropics when cooked