Musa
/ˈmjuː.zə/noun
A genus of tropical plants that includes bananas and plantains.
Did you know?The scientific genus name *Musa* was coined in modern taxonomy and is commonly linked to the Arabic word *mūz* for banana, not directly to the Greek Muses, even though the resemblance has fueled centuries of poetic association.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Arabic
Arabic
mūz
“banana”
16th Century
Latin
Musa
“taxonomic name applied to banana plants”
Modern English
English
Musa
“the banana genus”
Modern English
English
muse
“a source of inspiration”