Merriam Webster explains vanilla (when used as an adjective) as:
lacking distinction : plain, ordinary, conventional
It's not obvious why vanilla has such a meaning, and why plain is listed as its synonym. As you can find in the grocery store, vanilla yogurt and plain yogurt are two different products:
So I'm wondering what's the exact difference between these two words and how to use vanilla correctly so that the salesperson doesn't hand you the wrong yogurt.
Best Answer
Well, the vanilla you see on yogurt and ice cream cups refers to the flavor. The definition you are asking about talks about something else. It comes from the basic meaning of "vanilla", namely an ordinary flavor of ice cream or other dairy/bakery products, but has evolved to mean the default option that comes with no extra features. So for example if someone says
They are basically saying: "I will buy the one with no special features or outstanding characteristics." This usage has nothing with taste. It comes from the notion that vanilla is the most common flavor among all the flavors.