Meaning
Any tropical climbing orchid of the genus Vanilla (especially Vanilla planifolia), bearing podlike fruit yielding an extract used in flavoring food or in perfumes.
Etymology
Origin: Latin
Etymology tree Proto-Italic *wāgīnā Latin vāgīna Old Spanish vayna Spanish vaina Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Indo-European *-elós Proto-Italic *-elos Latin -lus Latin -ellus Latin -ella Old Spanish -iella Spanish -illa Spanish vainillabor. English vanilla Borrowed from Spanish vainilla, a diminutive form of vaina (“pod”). "Plain" senses derive from the perceived plainness of vanilla ice cream.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
vanilla beanvanilla extractimitation vanillastocknormophilicvanillarcondimentpeppersaltspice
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 13 recorded puzzles:
- 2026-07-19VAGILNT
- 2025-11-10AIPNLOV
- 2025-08-27LAVIDNY
- 2024-09-26ADVUNLI
- 2024-09-14AENJILV
- 2024-08-03VOANICL
- 2024-06-15IAOLVND
- 2024-05-16LATIGNV
- 2024-04-13NAPLIOV
- 2024-01-17AYDVLIN
- 2023-12-12NVALIBE
- 2023-06-25AYEVLIN
+1 earlier appearances in the archive.