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legume
[ leg-yoom, li-gyoom ]
noun
- any plant of the legume family, especially those used for feed, food, or as a soil-improving crop.
- the pod or seed vessel of such a plant.
- any table vegetable of the legume family.
legume
/ lɪˈɡjuːm; ˈlɛɡjuːm /
noun
- the long dry dehiscent fruit produced by leguminous plants; a pod
- any table vegetable of the family Fabaceae (formerly Leguminosae ), esp beans or peas
- any leguminous plant
legume
/ lĕg′yo̅o̅m′,lə-gyo̅o̅m′ /
- Any of a large number of eudicot plants belonging to the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae). Their characteristic fruit is a seed pod. Legumes live in a symbiotic relationship with bacteria in structures called nodules on their roots. These bacteria are able to take nitrogen from the air, which is in a form that plants cannot use, and convert it into compounds that the plants can use. Many legumes are widely cultivated for food, as fodder for livestock, and as a means of improving the nitrogen content of soils. Beans, peas, clover, alfalfa, locust trees, and acacia trees are all legumes.
- The seed pod of such a plant.
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Other Words From
- non·legume noun
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Word History and Origins
Origin of legume1
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Word History and Origins
Origin of legume1
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Example Sentences
Along with his vegetable crops and cannabis, Stein plants grasses and legumes, including oats, beans, and peas.
The next day, drain the legumes almost completely, leaving the last few trickles of water behind.
Lay the container on its side on a rimmed baking sheet, propping the bottom of the container on the rim of the baking sheet so it gently slopes downward and the legumes fall naturally into a shallow, even layer in the container.
Protein is a necessary part of the human diet and most commonly found in fish or meat dishes, though it’s also a primary part of some nuts and legumes.
Mediterranean dietEmphasis on fruits, veggies, whole grains, olive oil, beans, nuts, legumes, fish and other seafood.
If you can find it, opt for a soup with a legume base like lentil or black bean.
A perfectly roasted legume has a compact crunch that absorbs any flavoring you coat it with.
Specimens were found in the daytime in stumps, dead cacti, and the hollow branches of the legume, Apoplanesia paniculata.
Carefully dig up a root of clover, cowpea, soy bean or other legume and wash the soil from it.
Now look at the ovules or seeds of the locust, and you will see that they are arranged in a pod or legume like those of the pea.
A short, non-legume sod rotation is an efficient means of building up a depleted orchard soil.
Legume and cream soups will furnish a satisfactory meal by themselves.
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More About Legume
What does legume mean?
The word legume most commonly refers to the edible seed pods of plants in the legume family, which includes some beans, peas, and lentils.
The peanut is famously not a nut but a legume.
The word legume can also refer to the plants themselves. These include herbs, shrubs, trees, and vines that usually have compound leaves and clusters of irregular flowers.
The fruit from such plants (the beans or other edible part) usually comes in the form of a pod that splits along both sides—chickpeas and peanuts split down the middle in this way.
Many legumes are widely grown as food for humans and animals. Some legumes are planted to improve the nitrogen content of the soil where they grow.
An adjective form of the word is leguminous, which is used to describe such plants.
Example: My nutritionist recommended legumes as a good source of protein.
Where does legume come from?
The first records of the word legume in English come from around the 1600s. It comes from the French version of the word, légume, meaning “vegetable.” It ultimately derives from the Latin legūmen, meaning “bean,” from the Latin verb legere, meaning “to pick (a crop).”
Legumes are eaten and used to make foods around the world. Some of the most popular legumes are chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), which are a staple of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. Hummus is made from chickpeas. One of the most versatile legumes is the soybean, which is used to make tofu, soy sauce, some vegetable oil, and other products marketed as “plant-based.” Like soybeans, black-eyed peas are eaten by humans as well as used to feed livestock (hence their other name, cowpeas) and planted to improve the soil.
Legumes add nitrogen to soil through bacteria that live on their roots. These bacteria take nitrogen from the air—which is otherwise unusable by the plants—and convert it into compounds that the plants can use. Think about that next time you’re dipping into your hummus.
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How is legume used in real life?
Legumes are most often discussed in relation to eating them.
To help you prevent iron deficiency, eat iron-rich foods like:
🥩meat
🥚eggs
🟢 legumes (like beans, lentils and chickpeas)
🥬 dark leafy greens
🥜nuts and seeds https://t.co/4LwpxjZJwK pic.twitter.com/mD7Br0KBFB— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) April 21, 2020
Do you like beans, peas, lentils, or chickpeas? DYK Americans ate 12 pounds of legumes per person in 2017. Learn more: https://t.co/E9qZj0q0zJ #NationalEatBeansDay pic.twitter.com/HOBj939kaH
— Economic Research Service (@USDA_ERS) July 3, 2020
I can’t believe peanuts are legumes
— anna (@annahilzeil) June 29, 2020
Try using legume!
Which of the following foods is a legume?
A. peanut
B. soybean
C. chickpea
D. all of the above
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