banana republic
Banana republic (noun) means a small country that is politically unstable and badly governed, whose economy depends on a single export or industry and is often controlled by foreign business or a corrupt elite. Example: “Decades of coups had reduced it to a banana republic in all but name.”
How to use banana republic
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn insulting term for a corrupt, badly run country dependent on one export.
Always disparaging and often loosely applied, so it is best avoided in neutral reporting. Note that its origins in the fruit trade of Central America give it a colonial edge that some readers will find offensive.
The phrase is nearly always used as an accusation rather than a description, most often in political argument at home rather than about another country.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Decades of coups had reduced it to a _____ in all but name.
Etymology
From banana and republic, originally describing small Central American states whose economies and politics were dominated by foreign-owned fruit companies.
