Plain vanilla

Plain vanilla is an adjective describing the simplest version of something, without any optional extras, basic or ordinary.[1] In analogy with the common ice cream flavour vanilla, which became widely and cheaply available with the development of artificial vanillin flavour.[2] Certain financial instruments, such as put options or call options, are often described as plain vanilla options. The opposite of plain vanilla options are exotic options.[3]

  1. ^ plain vanilla in The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. "Informal Lacking adornments or special features; basic or ordinary: “plain vanilla stock options; a plain vanilla wardrobe.”"
  2. ^ Hilden, Katri; Robinson, Tim; Currie, Lee; Hutchinson, Emma (2006). Iced: 180 Very Cool Concoctions. Murdoch Books. p. 15. ISBN 978-1-74045-818-4. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2013. Vanilla has become a synonymous with 'plain'- perhaps most vanilla ice cream is flavoured with fake vanilla extract
  3. ^ Plain vanilla on www.investopedia.com Archived 2008-05-21 at the Wayback Machine