What is "vanilla"

Vanilla \Va*nil"la\, n. [NL., fr. Sp. vainilla, dim. of Sp. vaina a sheath, a pod, L. vagina; because its grains, or seeds, are contained in little pods.]

1. (Bot.) A genus of climbing orchidaceous plants, natives of tropical America.

2. The long podlike capsules of Vanilla planifolia, and Vanilla claviculata, remarkable for their delicate and agreeable odor, for the volatile, odoriferous oil extracted from them; also, the flavoring extract made from the capsules, extensively used in confectionery, perfumery, etc.

   Note: As a medicine, vanilla is supposed to possess powers analogous to valerian, while, at the same time, it is far more grateful.

   Cuban vanilla, a sweet-scented West Indian composite shrub ( Eupatorium Dalea).

   Vanilla bean, the long capsule of the vanilla plant.

   Vanilla grass. Same as Holy grass, under Holy.

1660s, "pod of the vanilla plant," from Spanish vainilla "vanilla plant," literally "little pod," diminutive of vaina "sheath," from Latin vagina "sheath of an ear of grain, hull of a plant" (see vagina). So called from the shape of the pods. European discovery 1521 by Hernando Cortes' soldiers on reconnaissance in southeastern Mexico. Meaning "flavoring extracted from the vanilla bean" is attested by 1728. Meaning "conventional, of ordinary sexual preferences" is 1970s, from notion of whiteness and the common choice of vanilla ice cream.

a. 1 (context of flavor, etc. English) Of #Noun. 2 (label en colloquial mostly computing) standard, plain, default, unmodified, basic. 3 (label en sexuality) Not kinky, not involving BDSM. 4 plain; conventional; unimaginative. n. 1 (label en countable) Any tropical, climbing orchid of the genus ''Vanilla'' (especially (taxlink Vanilla planifolia species noshow=1)), bearing podlike fruit yielding an extract used in flavoring food or in perfumes. 2 (label en countable) The fruit or bean of the vanilla plant. 3 (label en uncountable) The extract of the fruit of the vanilla plant. 4 (label en uncountable) The distinctive fragrant flavour/flavor characteristic of vanilla extract. 5 (label en uncountable) Any artificially produced homologue of vanilla extract, principally vanillin produced from lignin from the paper industry or from petrochemicals.

1. n. any of numerous climbing plants of the genus Vanilla having fleshy leaves and clusters of large waxy highly fragrant white or green or topaz flowers

2. a flavoring prepared from vanilla beans macerated in alcohol (or imitating vanilla beans) [syn: vanilla extract]

3. a distinctive fragrant flavor characteristic of vanilla beans

Vanilla were a British girl group from Barnet, England, founded in 1997.

"Vanilla" is a second single released by Gackt on August 11, 1999. It peaked at fourth place on the Oricon weekly chart and charted for ten weeks. It is Gackt's second best selling single, with 248,360 copies sold. "Vanilla" was re-released on March 20, 2002, when peaked at number twelve and charted for 6 weeks.

VANILLA is the second EP from Japanese singer Eiko Shimamiya.

"Vanilla" is singer-songwriter Leah Dizon's fifth single. It was released on June 25, 2008 and came in a Limited Edition CD+DVD version and a CD-only version which featured the bonus track "悲しみと笑顔の中で". The title track is an up-tempo dance tune "overflowing with R&B taste", while the B-side LOVE SWEET CANDY is a "medium-tempo reggae song."

Vanilla is a flavoring derived from orchids of the genus Vanilla, primarily from the Mexican species, flat-leaved vanilla ( V. planifolia). The word vanilla, derived from the diminutive of the Spanish word (vaina itself meaning sheath or pod), is translated simply as "little pod". Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican people cultivated the vine of the vanilla orchid, called tlilxochitl by the Aztecs. Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés is credited with introducing both vanilla and chocolate to Europe in the 1520s.

Initial attempts to cultivate vanilla outside Mexico and Central America proved futile because of the symbiotic relationship between the vanilla orchid and its natural pollinator, the local species of Melipona bee. Pollination is required to set the fruit from which the flavoring is derived. In 1837, Belgian botanist Charles François Antoine Morren discovered this fact and pioneered a method of artificially pollinating the plant. The method proved financially unworkable and was not deployed commercially. In 1841, Edmond Albius, a slave who lived on the French island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean, discovered at the age of 12 that the plant could be hand-pollinated. Hand-pollination allowed global cultivation of the plant.

Three major species of vanilla currently are grown globally, all of which derive from a species originally found in Mesoamerica, including parts of modern-day Mexico. They are V. planifolia (syn. V. fragrans), grown on Madagascar, Réunion, and other tropical areas along the Indian Ocean; V. tahitensis, grown in the South Pacific; and V. pompona, found in the West Indies, and Central and South America. The majority of the world's vanilla is the V. planifolia species, more commonly known as Bourbon vanilla (after the former name of Réunion, Île Bourbon) or Madagascar vanilla, which is produced in Madagascar and neighboring islands in the southwestern Indian Ocean, and in Indonesia.

Vanilla is the second-most expensive spice after saffron, because growing the vanilla seed pods is labor-intensive. Despite the expense, vanilla is highly valued for its flavor. As a result, vanilla is widely used in both commercial and domestic baking, perfume manufacture, and aromatherapy.

Vanilla is a flavoring.

Vanilla, in a botanical and biological meaning, may also refer to:

• Vanilla extract, a solution containing the flavor compound vanillin as the primary ingredient
• Vanilla (genus), a genus of orchids
  • Vanilla planifolia, the species which is the primary source of natural vanilla flavoring

Vanilla, in a derived meaning, may also refer to:

• Vanilla (color), a yellow color variation
• Vanilla Forums, a lightweight Internet forum package
• (Plain) vanilla, something standard or conventional
  • Vanilla software, is a computer software which is not customized. The term comes from the traditional standard flavor of ice cream, vanilla flavor.
  • Vanilla sex, sexual behavior which a culture regards as standard or conventional

Vanilla, in art and media, may also refer to:

• Vanilla (band), a girl band from Barnet, London, England
• Vanilla (EP), an EP by Eiko Shimamiya
• "Vanilla" (Gackt song)
• "Vanilla" (Leah Dizon song)
• Vanilla the Rabbit, a Sonic the Hedgehog character
• Vanilla Series, a brand of pornographic anime
• Vanilla, an Asterix character

Vanilla, in geography refers to:

• Vanilla, Pennsylvania, a community in the United States

Vanilla, the vanilla orchids, form a flowering plant genus of about 110 species in the orchid family ( Orchidaceae). The most widely known member is the Flat-leaved Vanilla ( V. planifolia), native to Mexico, from which commercial vanilla flavoring is derived. It is the only orchid widely used for industrial purposes (in the food industry and in the cosmetic industry). Another species often grown commercially but not on an industrial scale is the Pompona Vanilla ( V. pompona).

This evergreen genus occurs worldwide in tropical and subtropical regions, from tropical America to tropical Asia, New Guinea and West Africa. Five species are known from the contiguous United States, all limited to southern Florida.

Vanilla was known to the Aztecs for its flavoring qualities. The genus was established in 1754 by Plumier, based on J. Miller. The word vanilla, derived from the diminutive of the Spanish word vaina (vaina itself meaning sheath or pod), simply translates as little pod.

The color vanilla is a rich tint of off-white as well as a medium pale tint of yellow.

The first recorded use of vanilla as a color name in English was in 1925.

The source of this color is: ISCC-NBS Dictionary of Color Names (1955)--Color Sample of Vanilla (color sample #89).