What does "banana" mean?

1. (the fruit) a long, curved fruit with a yellow skin and soft, sweet flesh. 2. (the plant) the large tropical plant that grows bananas. 3. (curved kick) a kick in sports that makes the ball move in a curve. 4. (handstand error) a handstand where the back is curved too much like a banana. 5. (curved shape) having a curved shape like a banana.

banana — meaning, definition & examples

Word

01the fruit

A1 · Beginner Countable noun

n. a long, curved fruit with a yellow skin and soft, sweet flesh.

n. the elongated, edible fruit of a tropical plant, typically characterized by a yellow skin when ripe and a creamy, seedless pulp.

“He peeled a banana and ate it for a quick snack before his workout.”

“The export of Cavendish bananas remains a cornerstone of the regional economy, though concerns about soil-borne fungi have prompted research into more resistant varieties.”

02the plant

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Science

n. the large tropical plant that grows bananas.

n. any of several treelike herbaceous plants of the genus Musa, having large leaves and bearing fruit in hanging clusters.

“The garden was full of tall banana plants with huge green leaves.”

“Botanically, the banana is not a tree but a giant herb, as its stem consists of tightly packed leaf sheaths rather than true wood.”

03curved kick

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Sports Informal

n. a kick in sports that makes the ball move in a curve.

n. a strike or kick, particularly in football or rugby, that imparts a significant lateral curve to the ball's flight path.

“He scored a goal with a brilliant banana that went around the wall.”

“The winger mastered the banana kick, allowing him to bypass the defensive line and find the top corner of the net from a narrow angle.”

Synonyms

curve swerve

04handstand error

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Sports Technical · Informal

n. a handstand where the back is curved too much like a banana.

n. a technical error in gymnastics where the athlete arches their back excessively during a handstand.

“The coach told her to tighten her stomach so she wouldn't do a banana.”

“Beginners often struggle with core stability, resulting in a banana handstand that places unnecessary strain on the lumbar spine.”

Synonyms

arch

05curved shape

B2 · Upper Intermediate

adj. having a curved shape like a banana.

adj. possessing a curved or arc-like trajectory or physical form.

“The ball followed a banana path through the air and landed in the hole.”

“The architect designed a banana-shaped balcony that offered a panoramic view of the coastline while maintaining the building's aerodynamic profile.”

Synonyms

curved arched

Antonyms

straight

“Much of the world's bananas are of the Cavendish variety, which is endangered by a strain of Panama disease.”

TIME 2 Oct 2026

“Bananas have long been a supermarket staple for consumers around the globe.”

TIME 29 Sept 2026

“It is the bane of every fruit bowl: sliced banana that turns brown before it has reached the table.”

The Guardian 28 Sept 2026

“Also known as Panama Disease, it is a fungus that has been rampaging through banana farms for the past 30 years.”

BBC Future 13 Sept 2026

Borrowed from Portuguese banana or Spanish banana, derived from a Niger-Congo language spoken in the Guinea region. Specific derivation is unclear. Possible ancestor or cognate languages include Wolof banaana, Eastern Maninkakan banana, and Vai ꕒꘌꕯ (ɓaana) or ꕒꕌꕯ (ɓaana), possibly from Arabic بَنَان (banān, “fingertip, banana”). However, Ay Baati Wolof (Munro & Gaye, 1997) posits that Wolof banaana is itself derived from Portuguese banana. The racial slur derives from the notion that they are “Yellow (East-Asian) on the outside, but White (Westernized) on the inside”.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

chimp plantain