Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Banana?

\Ba*na"na\, n. [Sp. banana, name of the fruit.] (Bot.) A perennial herbaceous plant of almost treelike size ({Musa sapientum}); also, its edible fruit. See {Musa}. Note: The banana has a soft, herbaceous stalk, with leaves of great length and breadth. The flowers grow in bunches, covered with a sheath of a green or purple color; the fruit is five or six inches long, and over an inch in diameter; the pulp is soft, and of a luscious taste, and is eaten either raw or cooked. This plant is a native of tropical countries, and furnishes an important article of food. {Banana bird} (Zo["o]l.), a small American bird ({Icterus leucopteryx}), which feeds on the banana. {Banana quit} (Zo["o]l.), a small bird of tropical America, of the genus {Certhiola}, allied to the creepers.