Adjacent Words

Vanilla definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

VANIL'LA, n. A genus of plants which have an unctuous aromatic taste, and a fragrant smell; natives of South America and the West Indies.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: flavored with vanilla extract; "he liked vanilla ice cream"
2: plain and without any extras or adornments; "the most common type of bond is the straight or plain vanilla bond"; "the basic car is known as the vanilla version" n
1: any of numerous climbing plants of the genus Vanilla having fleshy leaves and clusters of large waxy highly fragrant white or green or topaz flowers
2: a flavoring prepared from vanilla beans macerated in alcohol (or imitating vanilla beans) [syn: vanilla, vanilla extract]
3: a distinctive fragrant flavor characteristic of vanilla beans

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: New Latin, from Spanish vainilla vanilla (plant and fruit), diminutive of vaina sheath, from Latin vagina sheath, vagina Date: 1662 1. a. vanilla bean b. a commercially important extract of the vanilla bean that is used especially as a flavoring 2. any of a genus (Vanilla) of tropical American climbing epiphytic orchids II. adjective Date: 1846 1. flavored with vanilla 2. lacking distinction ; plain, ordinary, conventional

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a any tropical climbing orchid of the genus Vanilla, esp. V. planifolia, with fragrant flowers. b (in full vanilla-pod) the fruit of these. 2 a substance obtained from the vanilla-pod or synthesized and used to flavour ice-cream, chocolate, etc. Etymology: Sp. vainilla pod, dimin. of vaina sheath, pod, f. L VAGINA

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Vanilla Va*nil"la, n. [NL., fr. Sp. vainilla, dim. of Sp. vaina a sheath, a pod, L. vagina; because its grains, or seeds, are contained in little pods.] 1. (Bot.) A genus of climbing orchidaceous plants, natives of tropical America. 2. The long podlike capsules of Vanilla planifolia, and V. claviculata, remarkable for their delicate and agreeable odor, for the volatile, odoriferous oil extracted from them; also, the flavoring extract made from the capsules, extensively used in confectionery, perfumery, etc. Note: As a medicine, vanilla is supposed to possess powers analogous to valerian, while, at the same time, it is far more grateful. Cuban vanilla, a sweet-scented West Indian composite shrub (Eupatorium Dalea). Vanilla bean, the long capsule of the vanilla plant. Vanilla grass. Same as Holy grass, under Holy.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. Vanilla is a flavouring used in ice cream and other sweet food. I added a dollop of vanilla ice-cream to the pie. N-UNCOUNT: usu N n 2. If you describe a person or thing as vanilla, you mean that they are ordinary, with no special or extra features. ...just plain vanilla couples like me and Tony... ADJ