1. (

• plantain ,

) any of numerous plants of the genus Plantago; mostly small roadside or dooryard weeds with elliptic leaves and small spikes of very small flowers; seeds of some used medicinally ;

2. (

• plantain ,
• plantain_tree ,
• Musa_paradisiaca

) a banana tree bearing hanging clusters of edible angular greenish starchy fruits; tropics and subtropics ;

3. (

• plantain

) starchy banana-like fruit; eaten (always cooked) as a staple vegetable throughout the tropics ;