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plantain

(plan′tin)

noun

any of a genus (Plantago) of plants of the plantain family, usually with rosettes of basal leaves and spikes of tiny, greenish flowers, including many troublesome weeds

Origin: OFr < L plantago < planta, sole of the foot (see plant): from the shape of the leaves

adjective

designating a family (Plantaginaceae, order Plantaginales) of dicotyledonous plants

noun

a hybrid banana plant (Musa × paradisiaca) that is widely cultivated in the Western Hemisphere
the large, firm, curved fruit of this plant: in tropical areas, it is usually cooked while green, before the starch has converted into sugar

Origin: altered (prob. infl. by plantain) < Sp plátano, banana tree, lit., plane tree (< L platanus: see plane), prob. misused for native name (as in Carib balatana)

See plantain in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

Any of various plants of the genus Plantago that produce dense spikes of small greenish flowers, especially either of two Eurasian weeds, P. major or P. lanceolata. Also called ribwort.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old French

Origin: , from Latin plantāgō, plantāgin-

Origin: , from planta, sole of the foot (from its broad leaves); see plat- in Indo-European roots

noun

A large, tropical, treelike herb (Musa paradisiaca) of southeast Asia, resembling the banana and bearing similar fruit.
The fruit of this plant, used as a staple food in tropical regions.

Origin:

Origin: Spanish plátano, plántano, plane tree, plantain

Origin: , from Latin platanus; see plane⁴

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