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Synonyms

pea

1 American  
[pee] / pi /

noun

plural

peas,

plural

pease, peasen

  1. the round, edible seed of a widely cultivated plant, Pisum sativum, of the legume family.

  2. the plant itself.

  3. the green, somewhat inflated pod of this plant.

  4. any of various related or similar plants or their seed, as the chickpea.

  5. something resembling a pea, especially in being small and round.

adjective

  1. pertaining to, growing, containing, or cooked with peas.

    We cultivated some tomato vines and a pea patch.

  2. small or small and round (usually used in combination).

  3. pea coal.

pea 2 American  
[pee] / pi /

noun

Nautical.

  1. bill.

pea British  
/ piː /

noun

  1. an annual climbing leguminous plant, Pisum sativum, with small white flowers and long green pods containing edible green seeds: cultivated in temperate regions

    1. the seed of this plant, eaten as a vegetable

    2. ( as modifier )

      pea soup

  3. any of several other leguminous plants, such as the sweet pea, chickpea, and cowpea

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
pea Idioms  

  1. see like as two peas in a pod.

Other Word Forms

  • pealike adjective

Etymology

Origin of pea1

First recorded in 1660–70; back formation from pease, taken as plural

Origin of pea2

First recorded in 1825–35; perhaps short for peak 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It’s where I watched Barack Obama get elected twice, the Lakers win back-to-back championships, and where I indulged in countless night caps and an unreasonable amount of all-you-can-eat split pea soup.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

The fairy tale of the princess and the pea tells of a young royal so sensitive she could detect a tiny pea hidden beneath many mattresses.

From Science Daily • Mar. 16, 2026

The teapot piece has pea tendril decor, which alludes to my favorite spring garden vegetable.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

Try this herby pearl couscous and sugar snap pea salad, the New York Times insists.

From Salon • Feb. 7, 2026

I was like the princess and the pea.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.