vanilla: Meaning and Definition of

va•nil•la

Pronunciation: (vu-nil'u or, often, -nel'u), [key]
— n.
  1. any tropical, climbing orchid of the genus Vanilla, esp. V. planifolia, bearing podlike fruit yielding an extract used in flavoring food, in perfumery, etc.
  2. Also calledthe fruit or bean of this orchid.
  3. the extract of this fruit.
—adj.
  1. containing or flavored with vanilla: vanilla custard.
  2. plain-vanilla.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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