English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
Login Flashcards
noun

banyan

BAN-yan
Quiz me More like this

Banyan (noun) means a large Indian fig tree (Ficus benghalensis) whose branches send down aerial roots that grow into new trunks, letting a single tree spread over a huge area. Example: “A single banyan tree in Kolkata's botanical garden covers several acres and looks like an entire forest.”

noun
1
A large Indian fig tree (Ficus benghalensis) whose branches send down aerial roots that grow into new trunks, letting a single tree spread over a huge area.
"A single banyan tree in Kolkata's botanical garden covers several acres and looks like an entire forest."
2
Historically, an Indian trader, merchant, or money-changer.
"European traders often relied on local banyans to handle currency exchange."
3
A loose, lightweight vest or undershirt, as it's called in South Asian English.
"He was sitting on the porch in just a banyan and shorts."

How to use banyan

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishBest known as the sprawling Indian fig tree with roots that hang down and take root themselves; also an older word for an Indian merchant or a light undershirt.

Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like banyan.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice

Word forms

Plural
banyans
Test yourself on “banyan” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

A single _____ tree in Kolkata's botanical garden covers several acres and looks like an entire forest.

Etymology

From Portuguese baniano, from Arabic baniyān, ultimately from Sanskrit vāṇija ("merchant"). The tree itself was named after the Hindu merchants (banyans) who traditionally gathered and traded beneath one famous specimen near a port in Persia.

Origin: Portuguese

Synonyms

View more →
banian banyan tree banian tree

Related words

banian

Rhymes for banyan

yan Ryan Aryan Mayan Bryan Libyan Kenyan Bunyan Vyvyan Kalyan Narayan Saroyan
See all rhymes for banyan →

Frequently asked questions

What does “banyan” mean?
The word “banyan” means a large Indian fig tree (Ficus benghalensis) whose branches send down aerial roots that grow into new trunks, letting a single tree spread over a huge area. In plain terms, best known as the sprawling Indian fig tree with roots that hang down and take root themselves; also an older word for an Indian merchant or a light undershirt.
How do you pronounce “banyan”?
“Banyan” is pronounced BAN-yan (/ˈbæn.jæn/ in IPA).
How do you use “banyan” in a sentence?
Here is “banyan” used in a sentence: “A single banyan tree in Kolkata's botanical garden covers several acres and looks like an entire forest.”
What part of speech is “banyan”?
“Banyan” is a noun.
Where does the word “banyan” come from?
The word “banyan” comes from Portuguese.
How many meanings does “banyan” have?
“Banyan” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a large Indian fig tree (Ficus benghalensis) whose branches send down aerial roots that grow into new trunks, letting a single tree spread over a huge area.

Featured in

Vocabulary lists that include banyan:

Words with Portuguese origins

People also searched

banian