BAN'ANA, noun A species of the genus Musa, or plantain tree, and its fruit. It rises 15 or 20 feet high, with a soft stalk, marked with dark purple stripes and spots, with leaves six feet long, and a foot broad. The flowers grow in bunches, covered with a sheath of a fine purple color. The fruit is four or five inches long, and an inch or more in diameter; the pulp soft and of a luscious taste. When ripe, it is eaten raw, or fried in slices. Bananas grow in large bunches weighing a dozen pounds or more. This tree is the native of tropical countries, and on many isles, constitutes an important article of food.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI