beach pea

Word Origin

noun

either of two plants of the legume family, Lathyrus japonicus, of seashores of the North Temperate Zone, or L. littoralis, of the temperate western coast of North America, both having oblong leaves and clusters of pealike flowers.

Origin of beach pea

1795-1805

An Americanism dating back to 1795-1805

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2017.
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Examples from the Web for beach pea

Historical Examples

He liked the beach pea, (Lathyrus maritimus,) cooked green, as well as the cultivated.

Atlantic Monthly, Volume 14, No. 84, October, 1864 Various
The first man for four days lay coiled up in the pod of the beach pea.

Myths and Legends of Alaska Various

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