bəˈnanə, chiefly Brit -ˈnȧ- noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Spanish or Portuguese; Spanish, from Portuguese, of African origin; akin to Wolof banäna, Mandingo banäna, banända, barända plantain
1.
a. : the elongated often curved and usually tapering fruit of the banana plant having soft pulpy flesh and a rind that is usually yellow or orange-colored when ripe and dark brown to black at full maturity — see dwarf banana , plantain
b. : any of several treelike perennial herbs of the genus Musa (especially M. paradisiaca sapientum ) that are native to tropical Asia but are cultivated or naturalized throughout the tropics, that have a soft herbaceous stalk, very large simple leaves, flowers enveloped in colored bracts and collected into a large pendent bunch each flower of which produces a single usually seedless fruit, and that usually reproduce only vegetatively by means of suckers formed at the base of the plant
2. : a grayish yellow that is paler and slightly greener than chamois, redder, lighter, and stronger than crash, and lighter, stronger, and very slightly redder than old ivory — called also sunbeam
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banana 1a
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