Mu·sa prop. n.; pl. Musae   Bot. A genus of perennial, herbaceous, endogenous plants of great size, including the banana (Musa sapientum), the plantain (Musa paradisiaca of Linnaeus, but probably not a distinct species), the Abyssinian (Musa Ensete), the Philippine Island (Musa textilis, which yields Manila hemp), and about eighteen other species. See Illust. of Banana and Plantain.

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 Plan·tain n.
 1. Bot. A treelike perennial herb (Musa paradisiaca) of tropical regions, bearing immense leaves and large clusters of the fruits called plantains. See Musa.
 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.
 Plantain cutter, or Plantain eater Zool., any one of several large African birds of the genus Musophaga, or family Musophagidæ, 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).


 Ad·am n.
 1. The name given in the Bible to the first man, the progenitor of the human race.
 2. As a symbol “Original sin;” human frailty.
    And whipped the offending Adam out of him.   --Shak.
 Adam's ale, water. [Coll.]
 Adam's apple.
 1. Bot. (a) A species of banana (Musa paradisiaca). It attains a height of twenty feet or more. --Paxton. (b) A species of lime (Citris limetta). 2. The projection formed by the thyroid cartilage in the neck. It is particularly prominent in males, and is so called from a notion that it was caused by the forbidden fruit (an apple) sticking in the throat of our first parent.
 Adam's flannel Bot., the mullein (Verbascum thapsus).
 Adam's needle Bot., the popular name of a genus (Yucca) of liliaceous plants.

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 Musa paradisiaca
      n : a banana tree bearing hanging clusters of edible angular
          greenish starchy fruits; tropics and subtropics [syn: plantain,
           plantain tree]