chickpea

American  

[chik-pee] / ˈtʃɪkˌpi /

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of chickpea

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

Example Sentences

Dry the chickpeas like you mean it—roll them in a towel, let them sit a minute, roll again—because moisture is the enemy of blistering.

From Salon

Washington removed so-called pulses, an agricultural category that includes Indian staples lentils and chickpeas, from its duty-free wish list following Indian farmer protests.

From Barron's

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

Mom packed me a chickpea salad sandwich on sprouted bread, which is wrapped in paper at the bottom of my tote bag.

From Literature

“I’d be, like, ‘let’s buy this bulk box of chickpea cans and toilet paper’ and he would be trying to convince me that we don’t need it.

From MarketWatch