top banana
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Puzzle #185 · December 3, 2025
The top banana was originally the comedian in a stage act who got top billing. Later, the meaning extended to refer to the leader or most important person in any group. Burlesque comedian, Harry Steppe, is credited with introducing the phrase ‘top banana’ into show business jargon in 1927. The term rose out of a routine in which three comedians tried to share two bananas. More at Mental Floss
Puzzle Appearances
The expression top banana has appeared in 1 puzzle:
- Puzzle #185 on December 3, 2025
Rate of Appearance in English Language Print
Google's Ngram project shows how often a pair of words has appeared in print every year since the 1800's.
Data from Google Books Ngram Viewer. Licensed under CC BY 3.0.
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