banana
A long fruit with yellow skin and soft, sweet inside that people usually eat raw.
A long, curved tropical fruit with soft, sweet flesh and a thick yellow skin, eaten raw or used in cooking.
A big tropical plant with wide green leaves that grows banana fruit.
A large tropical plant with a thick stem and broad leaves that produces clusters of banana fruits.
A person who acts very silly, used in a friendly or joking way.
A person who behaves in a very silly, ridiculous, or clownish way, usually said in a light or teasing manner.
- Base: banana
- Plural: bananas
banana boat
1banana-shaped inflatable boat
An inflatable, banana-shaped boat that people sit on for fun while it is pulled by another boat.
- We rode a banana boat at the beach last summer.
- They offer banana boat rides for tourists along the coast.
- She fell off the banana boat and splashed into the water.
banana bread
1sweet bread made with bananas
A sweet, soft bread or cake that is baked with mashed bananas in the mixture.
- She baked banana bread with the overripe bananas.
- I like to eat warm banana bread with butter.
- He brought homemade banana bread to the office.
banana peel
1the skin of a banana
The yellow outside part of a banana that you remove before eating the fruit.
- Throw the banana peel in the trash so no one slips on it.
- He slipped on a banana peel on the sidewalk.
- There was a banana peel left on the table.
banana republic
1small unstable export-dependent country
A small, poor country with weak government and economy that depends on selling one main product, often fruit.
- The novel is set in a fictional banana republic run by a military leader.
- He criticized the government, saying the country was turning into a banana republic.
- Investors worry about putting money into what they see as a banana republic.
banana skin
1the skin of a banana (BrE)
The outside part of a banana, mainly said in British English, that you take off before eating the banana.
- He slipped on a banana skin and fell over.
- Put the banana skin in the compost bin.
- There was a banana skin under the table after the party.
go bananas
1become very excited or crazy
To become very excited, very angry, or to act in a crazy way.
- The crowd went bananas when the band came on stage.
- My parents will go bananas if they see this mess in the kitchen.
- The kids go bananas every time they visit the theme park.
second banana
1supporting person of second importance
A person who plays a supporting role and is less important than the main or most powerful person.
- He was tired of being second banana to the star of the show.
- In this project, I’m happy to be second banana and just help out.
- She refused to play second banana in the new film.
slip on a banana peel
1make a foolish or comic mistake
To make a silly or embarrassing mistake, similar to falling when you step on something slippery.
- The politician slipped on a banana peel during the debate and forgot his key point.
- You don’t want to slip on a banana peel by sending that email to the wrong person.
- The company slipped on a banana peel with its latest ad campaign.
top banana
1most important person in group
The person who is the most important or has the most power in a group or organization.
- She’s the top banana in the company’s marketing department.
- It was clear from the meeting who the top banana was.
- He likes to be the top banana wherever he works.
banana split
1ice-cream dessert with banana
A dessert made with a banana cut in half, ice cream, and sweet toppings like chocolate or cream.
- We shared a banana split at the diner.
- He ordered a huge banana split for dessert.
- The banana split had three scoops of ice cream.
- The banana split came with three scoops of ice cream.