green bean

American  

noun

1. the immature green pod of the kidney bean, eaten as a vegetable.

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green bean British  

noun

1. any bean plant, such as the French bean, having narrow green edible pods when unripe

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Etymology

Origin of green bean

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45

Example Sentences

Each week, during the British winter, it supplies two million bunches of spring onions, 100 tonnes of green beans and 80 tonnes of radishes.

From BBC

The diner with stewy green beans flecked with bacon, sliding up next to a square of cornbread.

From Salon

The female anchor smiles like she’s discussing a fabulous green bean recipe, not my imploding life.

From Literature

A tiny dot appears inside the letter b of the green bean recipe.

From Literature

I put frozen green beans on a plate and tell Boo they are a new kind of Popsicle.

From Literature