Definition

Noun: 1. The outer skin of a banana, especially when removed and discarded: The typically yellow protective covering of a banana fruit, which is not eaten and is thrown away. 2. A metaphor for a cause of an embarrassing or comical mishap: Something that causes an unexpected and often humorous slip or failure, drawing from the classic physical comedy trope.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• "to be/slip on a banana peel": To experience an unexpected and embarrassing failure or setback.
  • The company's new product launch slipped on a banana peel due to a major software bug.
• "a banana-peel moment": An instance of an embarrassing or comical blunder.
  • The politician's microphone gaffe was a real banana-peel moment.

Variants and Related Words

• Banana skin (noun): A synonym, more commonly used in British English.
  • The report was a potential banana skin for the government.

Synonyms

• Hazard (in the metaphorical sense)
• Pitfall
• Comic mishap

Idioms

• "Like slipping on a banana peel": Used to describe a failure that is sudden, unexpected, and somewhat ridiculous.
  • His resignation came about like slipping on a banana peel—sudden and avoidable.

Noun

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