jumping bean
noun
the seed of any of certain Mexican plants of the genera Sebastiania and Sapium, of the spurge family: the movements of a moth larva inside the seed cause it to move about or jump.
Nearby words
jump-up, jumped-up, jumper, jumper ant, jumper cables, jumping bean, jumping bristletail, jumping gene, jumping genes, jumping hare, jumping jack
Origin of jumping bean
An Americanism dating back to 1885–90
Also called Mexican jumping bean.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for jumping bean
jumping bean
noun
a seed of any of several Mexican euphorbiaceous plants, esp species of Sebastiania, that contains a moth caterpillar whose movements cause it to jerk about
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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