soybean

American  

[soi-been] / ˈsɔɪˌbin /

especially British, soya bean

noun

1. a bushy Old World plant, Glycine max, of the legume family, cultivated globally, with greatest productivity in the United States, where it is grown chiefly for forage and soil improvement.

2. the seed of this plant, used for food, as a livestock feed, and for a variety of other commercial uses.

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Etymology

Origin of soybean

First recorded in 1795–1805; soy + bean

Example Sentences

Higher oil prices, which boost demand for corn and soybeans that are blended into motor fuels, have benefited agricultural commodities.

From The Wall Street Journal

American farms are planning to grow less corn and more soybeans this year, in the face of rising energy and fertilizer costs.

From Barron's

New nutrition guidance from the American Heart Association advises getting protein from plants rather than meat, choosing low-fat or fat-free dairy and using olive, soybean and canola oils instead of beef tallow and butter.

From The Wall Street Journal

For one, farmers may choose to pivot away from fertilizer-intensive crops, such as corn, toward those with lower production costs such as soybeans.

From Barron's

The war is hitting Midwest farmers just as they enter the planting season for crops such as wheat, corn and soybean, and need to apply vast quantities of fertilizer.

From Los Angeles Times