pea

¹

[ pee ]

noun

, plural peas, (Archaic or British Dialect) pease or peas·en [pee, -z, uh, n].

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

[ pee ]

noun

, Nautical.

1. bill ³( def 4 ).

pea

/ 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
2. 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

Derived Forms

• ˈpeaˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• pealike adjective

Word History and Origins

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of pea¹

C17: from pease (incorrectly assumed to be a plural)

Idioms and Phrases

see like as two peas in a pod .

Example Sentences

“Valium was in everything, food I ate, the water that I drank ... peas in my plate / She sprinkled just enough of it to season my steak,” he raps.

From Los Angeles Times

The findings show that unprocessed plant-based foods, such as soybeans, peas and beans are best suited for replacing meat and dairy.

From Salon

So, some food manufacturers will increase the proportion of pea and lentil proteins they're using, which makes the meat alternative look more brown while cooking.

From Salon

Inspired by foods like chia seeds, which are naturally enveloped in a soft, gel-like layer, the researchers encapsulated pea cell-wall fibers in a gel that forms a soft coating around the fiber particles.

From Science Daily

Everyone in her group was laden with two or three cone-shaped bundles — a couple dozen each of ranunculus, sweet peas, lisianthus, Queen Anne’s lace, spray roses and large roses in ivory and white.

From Los Angeles Times

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