Illustration of banyan
banyan
noun
ban·yan ˈban-yən 
-ˌyan
plural banyans
: a large fig tree (Ficus benghalensis) native to India and Pakistan that starts as an epiphyte and has spreading branches which send out aerial roots that grow down to the ground and form secondary trunks around the host tree
The banyan kills the host tree by preventing its trunk from growing. After the host dies, the banyan continues to grow. Eventually, one tree appears to be an entire forest. 
National Geographic World
National Geographic World 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web It’s housed in what was previously an open lot, with a massive banyan tree at the center. The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 8 Sep. 2022 Merlin Entertainments Group, which owns the Legoland parks, has maintained gardens, including the formidable banyan tree. Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel, 27 July 2022 Growing up in Auroville, Ms. Park picked lemons and swung on the limbs of banyan trees. New York Times, 5 Mar. 2022 Another top-flight, off-menu mojito can be found in Little River at Sunny’s Steakhouse, an outdoor restaurant arrayed around (and beneath) a massive banyan tree. Matthew Kronsberg, WSJ, 1 Mar. 2022 Both homes are surrounded by mature kapok and banyan trees that deliver even more privacy. Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 9 Feb. 2022 The rapper got down on one knee Tuesday (Jan. 11) in front of a banyan tree the couple holds close to their heart. Heran Mamo, Billboard, 14 Jan. 2022 Fox announced their engagement Wednesday on Instagram, sharing a video of her husband-to-be getting down on one knee under a banyan tree that holds a significant meaning in their relationship. Glenn Garner, PEOPLE.com, 13 Jan. 2022 Since late 2020, Guangzhou has removed many banyan trees as part of municipal beautification projects. Washington Post, 15 Dec. 2021 See More
The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 8 Sep. 2022 Merlin Entertainments Group, which owns the Legoland parks, has maintained gardens, including the formidable banyan tree. Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel, 27 July 2022 Growing up in Auroville, Ms. Park picked lemons and swung on the limbs of banyan trees. New York Times, 5 Mar. 2022 Another top-flight, off-menu mojito can be found in Little River at Sunny’s Steakhouse, an outdoor restaurant arrayed around (and beneath) a massive banyan tree. Matthew Kronsberg, WSJ, 1 Mar. 2022 Both homes are surrounded by mature kapok and banyan trees that deliver even more privacy. Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 9 Feb. 2022 The rapper got down on one knee Tuesday (Jan. 11) in front of a banyan tree the couple holds close to their heart. Heran Mamo, Billboard, 14 Jan. 2022 Fox announced their engagement Wednesday on Instagram, sharing a video of her husband-to-be getting down on one knee under a banyan tree that holds a significant meaning in their relationship. Glenn Garner, PEOPLE.com, 13 Jan. 2022 Since late 2020, Guangzhou has removed many banyan trees as part of municipal beautification projects. Washington Post, 15 Dec. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
earlier banyan Gujarati trader, from Portuguese banean, probably from Tamil vāniyan trader, from Sanskrit vāṇija; from a tree of the species in Iran under which such traders conducted business
First Known Use
1638, in the meaning defined above
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