From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Plantain \Plan"tain\, n. [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.
[1913 Webster]
{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.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Plantain \Plan"tain\, n. [Cf. F. plantain-arbre, plantanier, Sp.
pl['a]ntano, pl['a]tano; 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}.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
{Plantain cutter}, or {Plantain eater} (Zool.), any one of
several large African birds of the genus {Musophaga}, or
family {Musophagid[ae]}, 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).
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
plantain
n 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
2: a banana tree bearing hanging clusters of edible angular
greenish starchy fruits; tropics and subtropics [syn:
{plantain}, {plantain tree}, {Musa paradisiaca}]
3: starchy banana-like fruit; eaten (always cooked) as a staple
vegetable throughout the tropics
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