soya bean

/ ˈsɔɪə, ˈsɔɪˌbiːn /

noun

1. an Asian bean plant, Glycine max (or G. soja ), cultivated for its nutritious seeds, for forage, and to improve the soil

2. the seed of this plant, used as food, forage, and as the source of an oil

Word History and Origins

Origin of soya bean¹

C17 soya, via Dutch soya from Japanese shōyu, from Chinese chiang yu, from chiang paste + yu sauce

Example Sentences

Brazil is the world's largest producer of soya beans, a staple crop grown for its protein and an important animal feed.

Read more on BBC

But as trade talks progress, Washington is eyeing bigger farm exports - maize, soya bean, cotton and corn - to help narrow its $45bn trade deficit with India.

Read more on BBC

The US government, for example, still heavily subsidises crops including corn and soya beans, key ingredients in processed foods.

Read more on BBC

"We export products like maize, soya beans and sugar, but import expensive products such as fertilisers, medicine and furniture, so we need a huge amount of forex for this," she said.

Read more on BBC

He didn't want to farm the same crops as his father - wheat, rice, mustard and soya beans.

Read more on BBC