pea
1 Americannoun
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the round, edible seed of a widely cultivated plant, Pisum sativum, of the legume family.
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the plant itself.
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the green, somewhat inflated pod of this plant.
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any of various related or similar plants or their seed, as the chickpea.
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something resembling a pea, especially in being small and round.
adjective
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pertaining to, growing, containing, or cooked with peas.
We cultivated some tomato vines and a pea patch.
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small or small and round (usually used in combination).
noun
noun
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an annual climbing leguminous plant, Pisum sativum, with small white flowers and long green pods containing edible green seeds: cultivated in temperate regions
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the seed of this plant, eaten as a vegetable
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( as modifier )
pea soup
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any of several other leguminous plants, such as the sweet pea, chickpea, and cowpea
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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
Explanation
A pea is a plant that grows small, green, edible seeds — also called peas. When you think of peas, you undoubtedly picture the little green things on your plate beside the mashed potatoes. You might think of peas as vegetables — more specifically, they are legumes. They are actually the seeds, or fruit, of a plant that most commonly climbs like a vine and produces long pods that contain peas. The word started as pease in Middle English, which referred to both the singular and the plural (like wheat and corn). The Greek root is pison.
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.
His company sources dozens of beans in all shapes, sizes and colors: black, white, navy, red, King City Pink, Green Baby Lima, Yellow Split Pea.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 10, 2026
Pea is not one of the 14 allergens required by law to be listed on food labels but earlier this week, experts said it – among others – should be.
From BBC • Aug. 23, 2025
One of my latest obsessions tantalizing my taste buds and absolutely glorifying the best of spring flavors is Green Garden Pea Dip.
From Salon • May 10, 2025
The news last week that Pea Soup Andersen’s restaurant on the Central Coast had suddenly closed elicited a wave of nostalgia among Californians, even those like me who had never actually eaten there.
From New York Times • Jan. 17, 2024
“No,” said the Pea, who was a person not at all used to being told what to do.
From "The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread" by Kate DiCamillo
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.
