Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Plantain
Plan′tain
,Noun.
[Cf. F.
plantain-arbre
, plantanier
, Sp. plántano
, plátano
; prob. same word as plane
tree.] 1.
(Bot.)
A treelike perennial herb (
Musa paradisiaca
) of tropical regions, bearing immense leaves and large clusters of the fruits called plantains. See Musa
. 2.
The fruit of this plant. It is long and somewhat cylindrical, slightly curved, and, when ripe, soft, fleshy, and covered with a thick but tender yellowish skin. The plantain is a staple article of food in most tropical countries, especially when cooked.
Plantain cutter
, or
Plantain eater
(Zool.)
, any one of several large African birds of the genus
– Musophaga
, or family Musophagidæ
, especially Musophaga violacea
. See Turaco
. They are allied to the cuckoos. Plantain squirrel
(Zool.)
, a Java squirrel (
– Sciurus plantani
) which feeds upon plantains. Plantain tree
(Bot.)
, the treelike herb
Musa paradisiaca
. See def. 1 (above).Plan′tain
,Noun.
[F., fr. L.
plantago
. Cf. Plant
.] (Bot.)
Any plant of the genus
Plantago
, but especially the Plantago major
, a low herb with broad spreading radical leaves, and slender spikes of minute flowers. It is a native of Europe, but now found near the abode of civilized man in nearly all parts of the world. Indian plantain
. (Bot.)
See under
– Indian
. Mud plantain
, a homely North American aquatic plant (
– Heteranthera reniformis
), having broad, reniform leaves. Rattlesnake plantain
, an orchidaceous plant (
– Goodyera pubescens
), with the leaves blotched and spotted with white. Ribwort plantain
. See
– Ribwort
. Robin’s plantain
, the
– Erigeron bellidifolium
, a common daisylike plant of North America. Water plantain
, a plant of the genus
Alisma
, having acrid leaves, and formerly regarded as a specific against hydrophobia. Loudon.
Webster 1828 Edition
Plantain
PLANT'AIN
,Noun.
PLANT'AIN
Definition 2024
plantain
plantain
English
Noun
plantain (plural plantains)
- A plant of the genus Plantago, with a rosette of sessile leaves about 10 cm long with a narrow part instead of a petiole, and with a spike inflorescence with the flower spacing varying widely among the species. See also psyllium.
- 1653, Nicholas Culpeper, The English Physician Enlarged, Folio Society 2007, p. 225:
- The roots of Plantain and Pellitory of Spain beaten to powder and put into hollow teeth, takes away the pains of them.
- 2003, Michael Hofmann, translating Ernst Jünger, Storm of Steel, Penguin 2004, p. 41:
- The paths too are overgrown, but easily identified by the presence on them of round-leaved plantains.
- 1653, Nicholas Culpeper, The English Physician Enlarged, Folio Society 2007, p. 225:
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations
small plant
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See also
- Plantago on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
- Plantago on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
- Plantago on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons
Etymology 2
From Spanish plantano, obsolete variant of plátano, from Galibi Carib platana (“banana”).
Noun
plantain (plural plantains)
- A plant in the genus Musa, the genus that includes banana, but with lower sugar content than banana.
- The fruit of the plant, usually cooked before eating and used like potatoes.
Translations
fruit
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Related terms
- banana plantain
- bocadillo plantain
- cooking plantain
- plantain cutter
- plantain eater
- plantain squirrel
- plantain tree
Quotations
- For usage examples of this term, see Citations:plantain.
See also
- plantain on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
- Musa on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
- banana
French
Etymology
From Old French plantain, from Latin plantāgō, plantāginem.
Noun
plantain m (plural plantains)