vanilla
(vəˈnɪlə)
Also 7 vaynilla. β. 7 vinello-, 8 vanello, 8–9 vanelloe (8 -eloe); 8 vanilio, -illio, 8–9 vanillo-.
[In earlier use a. and ad. older Sp. vaynilla, now vainilla, dim. of vaina (:—L. vāgīna vagina) sheath. Subsequently a. mod. botanical L. Vanilla, from the same source. Cf. It. vainiglia, Pg. bainilha, baunilha, F. vanille vanille.]
1. A pod produced by one or other species of the genus Vanilla (see sense 2), esp. V. planifolia. Chiefly in pl.
| α 1662 H. Stubbe Indian Nectar ii. 11 They added..the Vaynillas [to the chocolate] for the like ends, and to strengthen the brain. Ibid. 17 Afterwards to mix the Vaynillas, cut into pieces, and dryed. 1673 Ray Journ. Low C. 485 Vanillas which they mingle with the Cacao to make Chocolate. |
| β 1699 W. Dampier Voy. 38 There grow on this Coast Vinelloes in great quantity, with which Chocolate is perfumed. 1731 Arbuthnot Aliments vi. v. (1735) 150 When..mix'd with Vanillios, or Spices, it [chocolate] acquires likewise the good and bad Qualities of aromatick Oils. 1757 A. Cooper Distiller iii. li. (1760) 220 Angelica-Seed, Vanellos and Mace, of each one Ounce and a half. 1758 Elaboratory laid Open 318 Cut the vanilloes into small pieces. 1812 J. Smyth Pract. of Customs (1821) 267 Vanelloes are long flat pods, containing a reddish pulp, with small shining black seeds,..but seldom imported. 1854 Mayne Expos. Lex. 311/2 The vanelloe is a long flattish pod [etc.]. |
2. a. The climbing orchid
Vanilla planifolia, or other species related to this; the tropical (American) genus to which these belong.
| α 1698 Froger Voy. 129 The Vanilla is a plant that creeps up along other trees, in the same manner as Ivy does. 1756 P. Browne Jamaica (1789) 11 Nor does the vanilla..grow any where..in greater perfection. 1783 Justamond tr. Raynal's Hist. Indies III. 340 The vanilla is a plant which, like the ivy, grows to the trees it meets with. c 1820 Waterton Wand. S. Amer. (1825) 182 In some parts of these forests I saw the Vanilla growing luxuriantly. 1843 Penny Cycl. XXVI. 116/2 The reason of the vanilla not producing fruit in Europe when it has flowered. 1879 Cassell's Techn. Educ. I. 91/2 The vanilla is an epiphyte, or air-plant. |
| β 1702 Propos. Effectual War in Amer. 19 Cacao-Trees and the Vanilio grow there [Granada in America] naturally. 1748 Phil. Trans. XLV. 160 The Vanelloe. With the Fruit of this Plant the Spaniards perfume their Chocolate. 1760 J. Lee Introd. Bot. App. 330 Vanilla, or Vaneloe, Epidendrum. 1772–84 Cook's Voy. (1790) IV. 1323 The known kind of plants to be found here are..a shrubbery speedwell, sow⁓thistles, virgin's bower, vanelloe. |
b. With
pl. One or other species of this genus.
| 1827 O. W. Roberts Voy. Centr. Amer. 87 Their country abounded in vanilloes and sarsaparilla. 1829 Loudon Encycl. Plants (1836) 765 The Vanillæ shoot out roots at every joint like the Ivy. 1855 Kingsley Westw. Ho! xxiii, One hanging garden of crimson and orange orchids or vanillas. 1874 Athenæum 10 Oct. 488/1 La Liberté states that a wild vanilla has been introduced into commerce. |
c. With distinguishing terms.
| 1829 Loudon Encycl. Plants (1836) 764 Vanilla aromatica, aromatic Vanilla. [V.] planifolia, fragrant Vanilla. 1843 Penny Cycl. XXVI. 116/1 V. claviculata, Tendril-bearing Vanilla... V. grandiflora, Large-flowered Vanilla. 1866 Treas. Bot. 1204/1 Cuba Vanilla, Critonia Dalea. |
3. a. The aromatic substance composed of, or obtained from, the slender pod-like capsule of
Vanilla planifolia or related species, much used as a flavouring or perfume.
| 1728 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Chocolate, To have the better market for their Cacao Nuts, Achiott, Vanilla, and other Drugs. 1753 Chambers' Cycl. Suppl. s.v., The pods..of the simarona, which is also called bastard Vanilla, are the smallest of all the kinds. The ley kind is the only good Vanilla. 1830 Lindley Nat. Syst. Bot. 265 The aromatic substance called Vanilla is the succulent fruit of a climbing West Indian plant of the order [Orchideæ]. 1852 Th. Ross tr. Humboldt's Trav. II. xvi. 63 The English and the Anglo-Americans often seek to make purchases of vanilla at the port of La Guayra. 1870 Yeats Nat. Hist. Comm. 152 As an aromatic, vanilla is much used by confectioners for flavouring ices and custards. |
b. A kind or variety of this. (See also
quot. 1866.)
| 1753 Chambers' Cycl. Suppl. s.v., The smell of the Vanillas ought to be penetrating and agreeable. 1843 Penny Cycl. XXVI. 115/2 It does not appear that any of the Brazilian vanillas form the substance known in trade. 1866 Treas. Bot. 1204/1 Chica Vanilla, the Panama name for the fruit of a species of Sobralia. 1884 Encycl. Brit. XXIV. 67/2 None of the South American vanillas appear to be used in Great Britain for flavouring purposes. |
c. A vanilla ice cream.
| 1955 T. Sterling Evil of Day viii. 84 You should go to Schrafft's for a plain vanilla with marshmallow sauce. 1970 Guardian 13 July 9/3 They'll have a vanilla, our Ethel, ta. |
4. attrib. and
Comb., as
vanilla bean,
vanilla ice(cream),
vanilla orchid,
vanilla pod,
vanilla sugar,
vanilla worker;
vanilla-flavoured,
vanilla-sweet adjs.;
vanilla grass (see
quot.);
vanilla plant, (
a)
= sense 2; (
b) an American species of
Liatris;
vanilla slice, an oblong pastry containing custard flavoured with vanilla and
usu. iced.
| 1886 American XII. 318 The aromatic principle of the *vanilla bean. 1898 19th Cent. April 644 Spices should be added, such as..cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and vanilla bean. |
| 1972 Harrods Christmas Catal. 59/4 French marrons in *vanilla flavoured syrup. 1974 L. Deighton Spy Story xix. 207 That big vanilla-flavoured ice-cream sundae. |
| 1856 A. Gray Man. Bot. (1860) 574 Hierochloa borealis. *Vanilla or Seneca Grass. |
| 1846 A. Soyer Cookery 553 Garnish with a custard made as for *vanilla ice. |
| 1904 *Vanilla ice cream [see sundae]. 1911 [see Neapolitan ice]. 1974 Times 6 Apr. 12/5 Serve the oranges very cold with vanilla ice cream. |
| 1883 R. B. White in Proc. R. Geog. Soc. (N.S.) V. 260 A forest..in which the trees are literally over-burdened with the *vanilla orchid. |
| 1753 Chambers' Cycl. Suppl. s.v., The leaves of the *Vanilla plant are about a foot long, and three fingers breadth wide. 1839 Ure Dict. Arts, etc. 1263 The vanilla plant is cultivated in Brazil,..and some other tropical countries. 1854 Mayne Expos. Lex. 311/2 Epidendrum Vanilla, the systematic name of the vanelloe plant. 1856 A. Gray Man. Bot. (1860) 185 Liatris odoratissima. Vanilla-plant... Leaves exhaling the odor of Vanilla when bruised. |
| 1887 C. A. Moloney Forestry W. Africa 421 The source of the *vanilla pods of commerce. 1888 Encycl. Brit. XXIV. 66/2 The best varieties of vanilla pods are of a dark chocolate brown or nearly black colour. |
| 1930 Radiation Cookery Book (ed. 12) vii. 119 *Vanilla Slices. Ingredients—½ lb. puff paste. A few drops vanilla, ½ pint thick custard... When the pastry is cool, spread the custard on one strip and put the second strip over the top; cover with icing, and cut with a sharp knife in strips about 2 inches wide. 1979 This England Winter 19/1 I've brought you one of your favourite vanilla slices as well! |
| 1846 A. Soyer Cookery 569 Serve with whipped cream flavoured with *vanilla sugar under it. |
| 1940 L. MacNeice Plant & Phantom (1941) 59 All her *vanilla-sweet forgotten vaudeville nights. |
| 1899 Allbutt's Syst. Med. VIII. 923 *Vanilla-workers sometimes manifest lichen-erythema of the face and hands. |
b. Passing into
adj.: vanilla-coloured, vanilla-flavoured. (Not clearly distinguishable from some of the uses in sense 4 a.)
| 1946 A. Christie Come, tell me how you Live viii. 133 A vanilla soufflé, for a wonder, goes right. 1962 Vanilla soda [see soda1 4 b]. 1980 H. Engel Suicide Murders xviii. 121, I ordered a vanilla marshmallow sundae and a vanilla milkshake. 1982 M. Russell All Part of Service iii. 23 A box of vanilla fudge. 1984 Guardian 5 Oct. 17/8 Old-fashioned vanilla sundae with hot fudge sauce. |
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Add:
[4.] c. [From the popular perception of vanilla as the ordinary, bland flavour of ice-cream.] Plain, basic, conventional; (
esp. of a computer, program, or other product) having no interesting or unusual feature; safe, unadventurous. Used
orig. with reference to sexual activity (
esp. in
vanilla sex). Only
occas. as
pred. adj. colloq. (
orig. U.S.).
| 1972 B. Rodgers Queens' Vernacular 184 Vanilla bar, a gay bar that is not SM. Ibid. 205 Vanilla,..rigid, conforming, goody-goody ‘This neighborhood is too vanilla for the licks of us.’ 1983 G. L. Steele et al. Hacker's Dict. 129 It's just a vanilla terminal; it doesn't have any interesting features. 1985 W. Dynes Homolexis 123 S & M adepts dismiss gays of simpler tastes as mere fluffs, who limit themselves to timid exercises in vanilla sex. 1988 InfoWorld 24 Oct. 60/2 In its unmodified, ‘vanilla’ state Accountmate is an adequate, if unimpressive, system. 1989 Profession 89 60/1 The specious appropriation of selected fragments of a prestigious literary theory can even make a species of ‘vanilla linguistics’..look enticingly ‘postmodern’. 1992 Guardian 28 Nov. (Weekend section) 7/2 Since the late Seventies, the lesbian community has also suffered a painful schism between ‘S & M dykes’ and ‘vanilla’ lesbians. |