Meaning
An elongated curved tropical fruit of a banana plant, which grows in bunches and has a creamy flesh and a smooth skin.
Etymology
Origin: Spanish
Borrowed from Portuguese banana or Spanish banana, derived from a Niger-Congo language spoken in the Guinea region. Specific derivation is unclear. Possible ancestor or cognate languages include Wolof banaana, Eastern Maninkakan banana, and Vai ꕒꘌꕯ (ɓaana) or ꕒꕌꕯ (ɓaana), possibly from Arabic بَنَان (banān, “fingertip, banana”). However, Ay Baati Wolof (Munro & Gaye, 1997) posits that Wolof banaana is itself derived from Portuguese banana. The racial slur derives from the notion that they are “Yellow (East-Asian) on the outside, but White (Westernized) on the inside”.
Synonyms & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 36 recorded puzzles:
- 2026-09-21NABEJLY
- 2026-09-06BADEGNO
- 2026-08-18BADEGHN
- 2026-03-29BANICLO
- 2026-03-28NABEMKT
- 2026-02-01BANIGLO
- 2025-12-29BNALGDI
- 2025-12-14BVANIEL
- 2025-09-13BACNOTI
- 2025-09-05ABEJLNY
- 2025-07-31BANILGR
- 2025-05-25NPAOEBL
+24 earlier appearances in the archive.