: 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
Caroline Tell, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
Sesame seeds thicken the mixture, and overripe plantain creates a silky texture.
—Betty Hallock, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2024
In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Beryl wiped out 90% of bananas, plantains, and coconuts, alongside hundreds of fishing boats and key infrastructure.
—Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
Other dishes that meld California-modern and Colombian cuisines command the energetic room’s attention: A take on the now classic California Brussels sprouts side dish is ennobled with plantain crumble.
—Sunset Magazine, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for plantain 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
But most notable is the mole, a blend of nearly 30 ingredients that result in a delicate, slightly sweet sauce with hints of plantain, sesame, and chilhuacle pepper.
—Caroline Tell, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
Sesame seeds thicken the mixture, and overripe plantain creates a silky texture.
—Betty Hallock, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2024
In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Beryl wiped out 90% of bananas, plantains, and coconuts, alongside hundreds of fishing boats and key infrastructure.
—Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
Other dishes that meld California-modern and Colombian cuisines command the energetic room’s attention: A take on the now classic California Brussels sprouts side dish is ennobled with plantain crumble.
—Sunset Magazine, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for plantain
Dictionary Entries Near plantain
Cite this Entry
“Plantain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plantain. Accessed 22 Nov. 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