cavendish
n. C / Un. the most common type of banana sold in shops around the world. It is known for being sweet and having a thick skin that makes it easy to ship.
n. the most widely traded cultivar of banana, belonging to the Musa acuminata species. It replaced the Gros Michel variety in the mid-20th century due to its resistance to Panama disease.
Most supermarkets only sell the Cavendish variety of banana.
While there are hundreds of banana types, the global export market is dominated almost entirely by the Cavendish.
Agricultural scientists are currently searching for a successor to the Cavendish, as a new strain of fungus threatens to wipe out these genetically identical plantations worldwide.
Usually capitalized when referring to the specific cultivar; treated as uncountable when referring to the fruit as a commodity.