peel 1- [uncountable, countable] the thick outer layer of some fruits and vegetables orange/lemon peel (North American English also) an orange/a lemon peel

2- peels North American English(also peelings British and North American English) [plural] the skin of fruit or vegetables that has been removed

This is what I think

So if we refer to the whole outer layer of a banana in general then say “a banana peel”, for example, "you need a banana peel to treat your acne"

but if we already removed the skin of that banana, then we say “the peels of the banana

enter image description here

For example, "the above picture shows 4 peels of a banana".

Is that correct?

  • 1
    No, if it's all in one piece, you'd still say "peel" (specifically here--"the banana peel"). – Katy Jul 10 at 1:55
  • On the other hand, it could be four peels [verb] of the banana. (The banana was peeled four times.) – Jason Bassford Jul 10 at 1:56
  • 1
    IMO: You can say it, but it's unusual. – user253751 Jul 10 at 11:47
  • Not really, but there is a school boy joke whilst peeling a banana...one skin, two skin, three skin... – Christopher Jul 10 at 14:12
  • 1
    @Tom ‘four skin’ has a homophone likely to make schoolboys snigger… (See here for a memorable example of that gag.) – gidds Jul 10 at 14:47

I would not use "peel" or "peelings" that way.

You could say. "After you have peeled the potatoes, put the peels in the trash". I have an image of the skin of a fruit or vegetable that have been cut away with knife or special tool.

Although plural, and so "countable" we don't normally put a number on the word "peels" or "peelings". We don't say "the peels of (potato)", but we might say "the (potato) peels"

And in British English, always "peelings" for the above.

What your picture shows is a banana skin, or a banana peel, and there is only one. If you pulled apart you would have 4 pieces of banana peel.

If you had two bananas, and ate them both, you would be left with two banana skins or peels.

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  • 6
    Mind you, "The Four Peels of the Banana' would make a cool title for something :) – Vaughn Ohlman Jul 10 at 2:54
  • 1
    +1 for mentioning 'banana skin'. People sometimes slip on these and fall over. – Michael Harvey Jul 10 at 6:37
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    However, you can say 'vegetable peel' (mass noun). It goes in the brown recycling bin in my house. – Michael Harvey Jul 10 at 6:38
  • you could say The Four Parts of the Banana Peel or Quarters, if you specifically wanted to identify one part that way – simonalexander2005 Jul 10 at 12:50
  • @VaughnOhlman - Agreed. Sounds like a Sherlock Homes story. – Laconic Droid Jul 10 at 12:57

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