Etymology

vanilla

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Today it means: Any tropical climbing orchid of the genus Vanilla (especially Vanilla planifolia), bearing podlike fruit yielding an extract used in flavoring food or in perfumes. Full definition →

Spanish vainilla ← Old Spanish vayna ← Latin vāgīna
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The story

  1. Proto-Italic*wāgīnā
  2. Latinvāgīna
  3. Old Spanishvayna
  4. Spanishvaina
  5. Spanishvainilla
  6. English todayvanilla

Borrowed from Spanish vainilla, a diminutive form of vaina (“pod”). "Plain" senses derive from the perceived plainness of vanilla ice cream.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.