Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

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.