a treelike perennial herb (musa paradisiaca) of tropical regions, bearing immense leaves and large clusters of the fruits called plantains. see musa.-the fruit of this plant. it is long and somewhat cylindrical, slightly curved, and, when ripe, soft, fleshy, and covered with a thick but tender yellowish skin. the plantain is a staple article of food in most tropical countries, especially when cooked.-any plant of the genus plantago, but especially the p. major, a low herb with broad spreading radical leaves, and slender spikes of minute flowers. it is a native of europe, but now found near the abode of civilized man in nearly all parts of the world.