Plantains

n. tropical plant related to the banana

This article is about the fruit. For the small herb, see Plantago The plantain (pronounced [plan-tane] or [plan-tain]) is a species of the genus Musa and is generally used for cooking, in contrast to the soft, sweet banana (which is sometimes called the dessert banana). The population of North America was first introduced to the banana plantain, and colloquially in the United States and Europe the term "banana" refers to that variety. The word "banana" is often used incorrectly to describe other plantain varieties as well, when in fact the generic name is "plantain" and the specific varieties are cooking plantain, banana plantain, bocadillo plantain (the little one), etc. All members of the genus Musa are indigenous to the tropical region of South-east Asia, including the Malay Archipelago and northern Australia.
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Noun
1. any of numerous plants of the genus Plantago; mostly small roadside or dooryard weeds with elliptic leaves and small spikes of very small flowers; seeds of some used medicinally
(hypernym) herb, herbaceous plant
(hyponym) English plantain, narrow-leaved plantain, ribgrass, ribwort, ripple-grass, buckthorn, Plantago lanceolata
(member-holonym) Plantago, genus Plantago
2. a banana tree bearing hanging clusters of edible angular greenish starchy fruits; tropics and subtropics
(synonym) plantain tree, Musa paradisiaca
(hypernym) banana, banana tree
3. starchy banana-like fruit; eaten (always cooked) as a staple vegetable throughout the tropics
(hypernym) vegetable, veggie
(part-holonym) plantain tree, Musa paradisiaca

n. plantain, tropical plant related to the banana

Also known as machos. The plantain is a green skinned, pink fleshed banana which is usually flatter and longer than a regular banana. It also contains more starch and less sugar. It is usually eaten fried, mashed, or in stews in South American, African, and West Indian cuisine.