See Also: banana(encyclopedia)
banana(dictionary)
Banana(medicine)
banana(dictionary)
Banana Coffeecake(recipes)
Eggnog Banana Pie(recipes)
Banana Pistachio Pie(recipes)
Banana Roll-Ups(recipes)
Banana - Poker(gambling)
Banana Sandies(recipes)

banana (iou)



banana noun. L16.
[Spanish & Portuguese, from Mande.]
The edible finger-shaped pulpy fruit of any of various tropical and subtropical plants of the genus Musa (family Musaceae), borne in clusters and yellow-skinned when ripe. L16.
The treelike herbaceous plant bearing this fruit, which has a stem of overlapping leaf sheaths. L17.
In top banana, second banana. The most important, second most important, person in an organization, activity, etc. Orig. Theatrical slang, with ref. to comedians in a variety show. colloq. (orig. US). M20.
Phrases: go bananas slang become crazy or angry.
Comb.: banana belt a region in which bananas are grown, or which is warm enough for bananas to be grown; banana bird any of various fruit-eating birds; esp. = bananaquit below; Bananaland Austral. colloq. Queensland; Bananalander Austral. colloq. a Queenslander; banana plug Electronics a single-pole connector with a curved strip of metal forming a spring along its tip; bananaquit [QUIT noun1] a tropical American passerine bird, Coereba flaveola; banana republic (usu. derog.) a small tropical (usu. Central or S. American) country that is economically dependent on its fruit-exporting or similar trade; banana skin fig. a cause of upset or humiliation; banana split a dessert of ice-cream and a split banana.