Definition of Vanilla

Babylon English
vanilla
n. type of vine cultivated for its seed pods from which a popular flavor is extracted; seed pod of the vanilla plant; flavor extracted from the vanilla plant, any synthetically produced flavor resembling the vanilla flavoring

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Vanilla definition was found in categories: Computer & Internet(3)  Language, Idioms & Slang(4)  Arts & Humanities(1)  Encyclopedia(1)  

Vanilla Definition from Computer & Internet Dictionaries & Glossaries

FOLDOC
vanilla
1. (Default flavour of ice cream in the US) Ordinary flavour, standard. When used of food, very often does not mean that the food is flavoured with vanilla extract! For example, "vanilla wonton soup" means ordinary wonton soup, as opposed to hot-and-sour wonton soup. Applied to hardware and software, as in "Vanilla Version 7 Unix can't run on a vanilla PDP 11/34." Also used to orthogonalise chip nomenclature; for instance, a 74V00 means what TI calls a 7400, as distinct from a 74LS00, etc. This word differs from canonical in that the latter means "default", whereas vanilla simply means "ordinary". For example, when hackers go to a chinese restaurant, hot-and-sour wonton soup is the canonical wonton soup to get (because that is what most of them usually order) even though it isn't the vanilla wonton soup.
[Jargon File]
(1994-11-04)
2. Snobol4 by Catspaw, Inc. for MS-DOS.
ftp://cs.arizona.edu/snobol4/vanilla.arc.
(1992-02-05)

Jargon File
vanilla
adj. [from the default flavor of ice cream in the U.S.] Ordinary flavor, standard. When used of food, very often does not mean that the food is flavored with vanilla extract! For example, `vanilla wonton soup' means ordinary wonton soup, as opposed to hot-and-sour wonton soup. Applied to hardware and software, as in "Vanilla Version 7 Unix can't run on a vanilla 11/34." Also used to orthogonalize chip nomenclature; for instance, a 74V00 means what TI calls a 7400, as distinct from a 74LS00, etc. This word differs from canonical in that the latter means `default', whereas vanilla simply means `ordinary'. For example, when hackers go on a great-wall, hot-and-sour soup is the canonical soup to get (because that is what most of them usually order) even though it isn't the vanilla (wonton) soup.

Internet Glossary
Vanilla
Without added features. A “vanilla PC,” for example, would be a PC with all standard components.



Vanilla Definition from Language, Idioms & Slang Dictionaries & Glossaries

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Vanilla
(n.)
The long podlike capsules of Vanilla planifolia, and V. 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.
  
(n.)
A genus of climbing orchidaceous plants, natives of tropical America.
  

WordNet 2.0
vanilla

Noun
1. 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
(hypernym) orchid, orchidaceous plant
(hyponym) vanilla orchid, Vanilla planifolia
(member-holonym) genus Vanilla
2. a flavoring prepared from vanilla beans macerated in alcohol (or imitating vanilla beans)
(synonym) vanilla extract
(hypernym) flavorer, flavourer, flavoring, flavouring, seasoner, seasoning
(substance-meronym) vanilla bean
3. a distinctive fragrant flavor characteristic of vanilla beans
(hypernym) relish, flavor, flavour, sapidity, savor, savour, smack, tang

hEnglish - advanced version
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 v. 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.


  similar words(10) 




 vanilla planifolia 
 vanilla extract 
 cuban vanilla 
 vanilla grass 
 vanilla pudding 
 vanilla ice cream 
 vanilla orchid 
 vanilla or seneca grass 
 wild vanilla 
 vanilla bean 

Concise English-Irish Dictionary v. 1.1
vanilla
fanaile


Vanilla Definition from Arts & Humanities Dictionaries & Glossaries

JM Latin-English Dictionary
vanilla
N F
vanilla


Vanilla Definition from Encyclopedia Dictionaries & Glossaries

Wikipedia English - The Free Encyclopedia
Vanilla
Vanilla is a flavouring derived from orchids in the genus Vanilla native to Mexico. The name came from the Spanish word "", meaning "little pod".

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