: any of a genus (Plantago of the family Plantaginaceae, the plantain family) of herbs with basal rosettes of usually lanceolate or elliptical leaves and spikes of minute greenish flowers
1
: the angular greenish starchy fruit of the plantain that is a staple food in the tropics when cooked
2
: a banana plant (Musa paradisiaca)
Examples of plantain in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Dawn Pettinelli, Hartford Courant, 13 July 2024
Lunch and dinner have naan and breads with various dips and curries as well as Red Red, which is a side dish made from black-eyed peas and plantains.
—Deanne Revel, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2024
The barbecue joint also was cited for temperature abuse on plantains and sautéed onions.
—Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 24 July 2024
Back then, Compare Food was the only supermarket where Marte could find comfort foods of home like plantains.
—Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for plantain 
Noun
Many of us older gardeners referred to them as plantain lilies because their broad leaves resemble a common weed (or herb depending on one’s perspective), plantain.
—Dawn Pettinelli, Hartford Courant, 13 July 2024
Lunch and dinner have naan and breads with various dips and curries as well as Red Red, which is a side dish made from black-eyed peas and plantains.
—Deanne Revel, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2024
The barbecue joint also was cited for temperature abuse on plantains and sautéed onions.
—Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 24 July 2024
Back then, Compare Food was the only supermarket where Marte could find comfort foods of home like plantains.
—Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for plantain
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'plantain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near plantain
Cite this Entry
“Plantain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plantain. Accessed 12 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
plantain
1 of 2 noun
plan·tain
ˈplant-ᵊn 
: any of several common weeds having a short stem or none at all, leaves with parallel veins, and a long stalk of tiny greenish flowers
plantain
2 of 2 noun
: the large greenish starchy fruit of a kind of banana plant that is eaten cooked and is an important food in the tropics
also
: this plant
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share