Nanners
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "nanners" is the folksy shortened form of "bananas." You’ll hear it plain, but most often in desserts like "nanner puddin’."
Hillbilly Dude Says...
If youre out in the country, you'll hear 'nanner puddin’' plenty. It's a staple dessert. Hillbilly Dude Says...
If youre out in the country, you'll hear 'nanner puddin’' plenty. It's a staple dessert. Pronunciation
[NAN-ers]
Meaning & Usage
- Banana (noun)
Mae:
Ain’t nothin’ left but the bowl scrapin’s of that nanner puddin’.
Ain’t nothin’ left but the bowl scrapin’s of that nanner puddin’.
Earl:
Told ya it wouldn’t last long.
Told ya it wouldn’t last long.variations: banana, bananner, nanner, nanners, ’nanner puddin’, taters, maters
★ If you hear "nanners," don’t go lookin’ for a different fruit - it’s just bananas, said country-style. Most famous in the Southern dessert "nanner puddin’." ★
Origin and Etymology
From "banana," reshaped in Southern/Appalachian speech. The older variant "bananner" naturally shortened into "nanner" and "nanners," alongside other clipped food names like ’taters and ’maters.
Usage Notes
Used across Appalachia and the South, not just with kids. Often tied to food talk, especially banana pudding, but can mean bananas plain too.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said quick: "nan-ers." Just like ’taters or ’maters, the middle gets dropped and the ending rolls easy.