banyans
|ban-yan|
🇺🇸
/ˈbæn.jən/
🇬🇧
/ˈbænjən/
(banyan)
large Indian fig tree with aerial roots
Etymology
'banyan' originates from Gujarati, specifically the word 'vāṇiyo' (also rendered 'baniyā' or 'bania'), where the root meant 'merchant'.
'banyan' entered English via Portuguese and early modern accounts of South Asia (Portuguese 'banian', Hindi/Gujarati 'baniyā'), appearing in the 17th century first as a term for Indian merchants and later applied to the tree and to a loose gown worn by men.
Initially, it meant 'merchant' in reference to the Indian trading class; over time the term came to be applied also to the large fig tree associated with gathering/trading under it and to the informal men's robe, giving the modern senses 'a banyan tree' and 'a banyan (robe)'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a large tropical fig tree (especially Ficus benghalensis) with many aerial roots that form trunks; commonly found in India and surrounding regions.
Banyans provided cool shade for villagers during the hot season.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a loose, informal gown or robe for men (historically worn in South Asia and later adopted in Europe as an informal morning garment).
In the period drama, banyans were commonly depicted as the indoor dress of scholars and merchants.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/11 14:56