plantain

¹

[ plan-tin, -tn ]

noun

1. a tropical plant, Musa paradisiaca, of the banana family, resembling the banana.
2. its fruit, eaten cooked as a staple food in tropical regions.

plantain

²

[ plan-tin, -tn ]

noun

1. any plant of the genus Plantago, especially P. major, a weed with large, spreading leaves close to the ground and long, slender spikes of small flowers.

plantain

¹

/ ˈplæntɪn /

noun

1. a large tropical musaceous plant, Musa paradisiaca
2. the green-skinned banana-like fruit of this plant, eaten as a staple food in many tropical regions

plantain

²

/ ˈplæntɪn /

noun

1. any of various N temperate plants of the genus Plantago, esp P. major ( great plantain ), which has a rosette of broad leaves and a slender spike of small greenish flowers: family Plantaginaceae See also ribwort

Word History and Origins

Origin of plantain¹

1545–55; earlier pla ( n ) tan < Spanish plá ( n ) tano plantain, also plane tree < Medieval Latin pla ( n ) tanus, Latin platanus plane ³

Origin of plantain²

1350–1400; Middle English plauntein < Old French plantein < Latin plantāgin- (stem of plantāgō ), derivative of planta sole of the foot, literally, something flat and spread out, like the broad leaf of the plantain; akin to Greek platýs flat ¹; platy-

Word History and Origins

Origin of plantain¹

C16: from Spanish platano plantain, plane tree

Origin of plantain²

C14 plauntein, from Old French plantein, from Latin plantāgō, from planta sole of the foot

Example Sentences

So, when I made it again, I reduced the number of plantains for the topping from four to three and added fresh garlic to the mash.

From Washington Post

This Navy Yard spot channels Puerto Rico through a relaxed, waterside vibe and lots of fried plantains and rum.

From Washington Blade

Tucking into a takeout box of green plantains, rice and seared tilapia, Mayorkas spoke of his parents.

From Time

Other side dish options include fine-cut sauteed cabbage, dense and delicious fried plantains, and a creamed spinach any steakhouse would be happy to claim.

From Washington Post

The guests’ favorites — like rice, beans and plantains — became staples in the kitchen.

From Washington Post

Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice and garnish with a semi peeled baby plantain.

From The Daily Beast

It is a simple Puerto Rican cow's milk cheese called queso de hoja and it is wrapped in a plantain leaf.

From The Daily Beast

Add plantain slices and fry for 15 minutes but do not brown.

From The Daily Beast

Crush a portion of the fried plantain slices and add the chopped turkey.

From The Daily Beast

The plant from which is made what is called Manila hemp belongs to the same family as the banana and the plantain.

From Project Gutenberg

How, or when, or why the plant lost its old English names to take the Latin name of Plantain, it is hard to say.

From Project Gutenberg

But the Plantain did not long sustain its high reputation, which even in Shakespeare's time had become much diminished.

From Project Gutenberg

Alisma, al-iz′ma, n. a small genus of aquatic plants, the chief being the common water-plantain.

From Project Gutenberg

Though this plantain is inferior in quality to most of the others it affords great subsistence to the natives.

From Project Gutenberg