Definition

Noun: 1. The outer, typically yellow, peel of a banana fruit: This is the literal meaning, referring to the protective skin that is removed and discarded before eating the banana. 2. A source of unexpected and embarrassing difficulty or failure; a cause of a slip-up: This is a metaphorical meaning, referring to an unforeseen problem or humiliating mistake that causes someone to fail or look foolish.

Usage Examples

• Literal (Noun):
  • Please put the banana skin in the compost bin.
  • The floor was littered with banana skins after the children's snack time.
• Metaphorical (Noun):
  • The new policy turned out to be a political banana skin for the government.
  • His careless comment proved to be a banana skin, causing a major public relations crisis.

Advanced Usage

• The metaphorical use is almost always singular ("a banana skin"), even when referring to multiple potential problems. It describes the of an embarrassing incident.
• The phrase often implies that the problem was both avoidable and humiliating, much like the classic physical comedy slip.

Variants and Related Words

• Banana peel: A direct synonym, more commonly used in American English for both the literal and metaphorical meanings.
  • He slipped on a banana peel. (Literal)
  • The contract clause was a hidden banana peel. (Metaphorical)

Synonyms

• Literal: peel, rind, skin.
• Metaphorical: pitfall, hazard, stumbling block, embarrassment.

Related Idioms

• To slip on a banana skin/peel: To make an embarrassing mistake or suffer an unexpected and humiliating failure.
  • The company slipped on a banana skin with its poorly tested software update.

Noun

1. the skin of a banana (especially when it is stripped off and discarded)
   • he slipped on a banana skin and almost fell