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

US //bəˈnænə// UK //bɐnˈɑːnɐ// ba·nana

1 the fruit (n.)
A1 Beginner

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

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

Example

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

Example

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.
2 the plant (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Science

the large tropical plant that grows bananas.

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

Example

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

Example

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

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3 curved kick (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Sport

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

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

Example

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

Example

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.
- curve
- swerve
4 handstand error (n.)
C1 Advanced Technical Informal Sport

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

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

Example

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

Example

Beginners often struggle with core stability, resulting in a banana handstand that places unnecessary strain on the lumbar spine.
- arch
5 curved shape (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

having a curved shape like a banana.

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

Example

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

Example

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

Origin

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”.

Idioms6 entries