Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Musa acuminata

Musa acuminata

9.1
A low-growing Asian banana plant grown for clusters of edible yellow fruit
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Musa acuminata
  • The commercial bananas found in most supermarkets are usually derived from Musa acuminata.

Examples

  • In many tropical regions, Musa acuminata is a staple food.

  • Researchers study Musa acuminata to improve disease resistance in banana crops.

  • The plantation specialized in growing Musa acuminata for export.

  • The Musa acuminata is known for its sweet bananas.

  • The commercial bananas found in most supermarkets are usually derived from Musa acuminata.

  • In many tropical regions, Musa acuminata is a staple food.

  • The plantation specialized in growing Musa acuminata for export.

Synonyms

banana
vsMusa acuminata
123 1.0

A tall tropical plant with large leaves that grows clusters of fruit

is a single low-growing Asian species cultivated for yellow fruit
banana tree
vsMusa acuminata
3 1.4

A large tropical plant that grows bananas

is lower growing and specifically cultivated in the West Indies for yellow fruit
dwarf banana
vsMusa acuminata
4.4

A small banana tree that grows near the ground and makes sweet yellow fruit

is the same species from Asia rather than a named low variety
edible banana
vsMusa acuminata
1.0

A type of banana grown for its soft, sweet yellow flesh

is the species noted for being low growing and linked to the West Indies

Surface Forms

Musa acuminata singular
Musa acuminatas plural

Morphology

Musa + acuminata

This is a scientific Latin binomial (genus + species). Even if a learner knows 'Musa' as a plant genus, the epithet 'acuminata' is Latin/technical and not a common English word, so the specific sense ‘a cultivated banana species with edible yellow fruit’ cannot be derived from ordinary constituent meanings. Scientific names are domain-specific and do not follow everyday English compositional patterns, so the overall meaning is not predictable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Musa acuminata may come from an old word for 'banana', with Musa coming from that old word and acuminata meaning 'pointed' in Latin. So the name paints the picture of a banana plant with long, pointed leaves and fruit, which explains why it names the edible banana we eat today.