Plural of banana, tropical fruits; also used as slang meaning crazy or extremely enthusiastic.
From Spanish or Portuguese banana, possibly from a West African language. The fruit name entered English in the 16th century. The slang meaning 'crazy' developed in American English around the 1960s, possibly from the idea of 'going ape' (since apes eat bananas) or from the phallic shape suggesting sexual excitement.
Bananas are technically berries, while strawberries aren't - one of botany's delightful contradictions that shows how everyday language and scientific classification often diverge. The phrase 'going bananas' might seem random, but it reflects our tendency to use food metaphors for mental states, like 'nuts,' 'crackers,' or 'fruitcake.'
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