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   vanilla

   /vəˈnɪlə/

   noun

   • 1. a substance obtained from vanilla pods or produced artificially and used to flavour foods or to impart a fragrant scent to cosmetic preparations: "vanilla ice cream"
   • ▪ ice cream flavoured with vanilla: "four scoops of vanilla with hot fudge sauce"
   • ▪ of the creamy colour of vanilla ice cream: "a vanilla dress"
   • 2. a tropical climbing orchid that has fragrant flowers and long podlike fruit.
   • ▪ the fruit of the vanilla plant which is cured and then either used in cooking or processed to extract an essence which is used for flavour and fragrance.

   adjective

   • 1. having no special or extra features; ordinary or standard: informal "choosing plain vanilla technology wherever you can will save you money"

   Word Origin mid 17th century: from Spanish vainilla ‘pod’, diminutive of vaina ‘sheath, pod’, from Latin vagina ‘sheath’. The spelling change was due to association with French vanille.

   Scrabble Points: 10

   • V

     4

   • A

     1

   • N

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   • I

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   • L

     1

   • L

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   • A

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