/veuh nil"euh/ or, often, /-nel"euh/ , n.
1. any tropical, climbing orchid of the genus Vanilla, esp. V. planifolia, bearing podlike fruit yielding an extract used in flavoring food, in perfumery, etc.
2. Also called vanilla bean . the fruit or bean of this orchid.
3. the extract of this fruit.
adj.
4. containing or flavored with vanilla: vanilla custard.
5. Informal. plain-vanilla.
[ 1655-65; vainilla little pod, equiv. to vain ( a ) a sheath ( vagina sheath) + -illa dim. suffix ( ]