Japanese Banana
/ˌdʒæpəˈniːz bəˈnænə/noun
A hardy banana species, Musa basjoo, native to southern China and widely cultivated in Japan and elsewhere.
Did you know?Musa basjoo is commonly called the Japanese banana because it became strongly associated with cultivation in Japan, although botanical evidence places its origin in southern China.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
Portuguese
banana
“A banana; borrowed through Portuguese contact with West Africa, probably from a Bantu language such as Wolof or Kikongo-related forms.”
16th–17th Century
Spanish/Portuguese
banana
“The tropical fruit and plant; the term spread through European colonial trade.”
1753
Latin
Musa basjoo
“The scientific name later applied to the species; Musa is the botanical genus for bananas.”
19th Century
Japanese
バショウ (bashō)
“Japanese name associated with Musa basjoo and related ornamental banana plants.”
Modern English
English
Japanese banana
“A common horticultural name for Musa basjoo, emphasizing its long cultivation history and popularity in Japan.”