Real Dictionary

vanilla
Vanilla is a flavouring used in ice cream and other sweet food.

vanilla in American English
any of a genus (Vanilla) of climbing tropical American orchids with fragrant, greenish-yellow flowers
of or flavored with vanilla
adjective: containing or flavored with vanilla
noun: any tropical, climbing orchid of the genus Vanilla, esp. V. planifolia, bearing podlike fruit yielding an extract used in flavoring food, in perfumery, etc

vanilla in British English
adjective: flavoured with or as if with vanilla
noun: any tropical climbing orchid of the genus Vanilla, esp V. plonifolia, having spikes of large fragrant greenish-yellow flowers and long fleshy pods containing the seeds (beans)