chickpea

American  

[chik-pee] / ˈtʃɪkˌpi /

noun

• chickpeas
  plural

1. Also called garbanzo.  a widely cultivated plant, Cicer arietinum, of the legume family, bearing pods containing pealike seeds.

2. the seeds of this plant, used extensively as a food.

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chickpea British  

/ ˈtʃɪkˌpiː /

noun

1. a bushy leguminous plant, Cicer arietinum, cultivated for its edible pealike seeds in the Mediterranean region, central Asia, and Africa

2. Also called: garbanzo.  the seed of this plant

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• chickpeas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of chickpea

1540–50; alteration of chich-pea, equivalent to late Middle English chiche (< Middle French ≪ Latin cicer chickpea) + pea ¹

Explanation

A chickpea is a delicious, round bean that's also known as a garbanzo. Try roasting chickpeas for a crunchy snack, or make falafel by grinding them, shaping them into balls, and frying them. If you've tasted hummus, you know what chickpeas taste like — at least when they've been pureed with garlic, tahini, and lemon juice. It's also common to toss chickpeas into salads, cook them in stews and soups, and grind them into flour for baking. In the 18th century, chickpea evolved from chich-pease, which is rooted in the Latin word for "pea," cicer. Historians have found evidence that chickpeas were around as long ago as 3500 BCE.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chickpea chickpeas

By sauce No. 4 — Chickpotle, a creamy chickpea sauce with smoky chipotle and ghost pepper with a 4/10 heat level — Holland and Bernthal were loosening up and trading barbs.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

In “Everything I Want to Eat,” Jessica Koslow, of Sqirl, offers a chickpea stew with chard, poached eggs and smoked chile.

From Salon ● Apr. 3, 2026

Before planting, the researchers coated the chickpea seeds with arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 12, 2026

Someone instructs you to tear off pieces and dip them in the accompanying guava and plantain chutneys, silky chickpea curry and punchy pepper jelly, pooled around a peninsula of tangy cultured butter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026

A stew of chickpea, lamb, crispy shallots, and fried mint was the khan’s favorite.

From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri

In Bihar, children are typically served rice with pulses or chickpeas, plus an egg once a week.

From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026

And for a plant-based version, I love using chickpeas dressed with a splash of olive brine or artichoke heart brine for a little extra salinity.

From Salon ● Jun. 9, 2026

Researchers found that people who regularly consumed foods such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, edamame, and soy milk were less likely to develop hypertension.

From Science Daily ● May 26, 2026

She only buys organic food, citing limits on the use of glyphosate in organic farming, and avoids foods that she says have higher glyphosate residues, such as chickpeas and wheat products.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 27, 2026

When Doña Andrea handed her a pot full of chickpeas with pig’s feet, Mami didn’t want to accept it.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago