legume

noun

le·​gume ˈle-ˌgyüm  li-ˈgyüm 

plural legumes

1

a

: the dry fruit of plants of the legume family (such as peas or beans) that develops from a single carpel of a flower and usually splits into two halves with seeds attached to the seam of one half : pod entry 1 sense 1

b

: the fruit or seeds of a legume plant (such as the peanut or tamarind) used for food

2

: any of a large family (Leguminosae synonym Fabaceae, the legume family) of dicotyledonous plants that have fruits that are legumes and roots with nodules containing nitrogen-fixing bacteria and that includes important food and forage plants (such as peas, beans, or clovers)

Examples of legume in a Sentence

recipes that include legumes like lentils and chickpeas

Recent Examples on the Web

How healthy are chickpeas, citrus fruit, sweet potatoes, apples, tuna and legume pasta? —Isobel Whitcomb, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2025

So beans or other legumes that fall on the lower end of the fiber spectrum are usually a safer bet. —Caroline Tien, SELF, 7 Feb. 2025

The beans should be balanced with a good level of richness that didn’t overwhelm the spice or earthy legume flavor. —Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 16 Jan. 2025

The Atkins diet focuses on high-protein and high-fat foods while minimizing carb sources, such as grains, legumes, and sugary foods. —Jamie Johnson, Verywell Health, 6 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French légume, from Latin legumin-, legumen leguminous plant, from legere to gather — more at legend

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

legume

noun

leg·​ume

ˈleg-ˌyüm,

li-ˈgyüm

1

a

: any of a large family of herbs, shrubs, and trees that have fruits which are dry single-celled pods that split into two pieces when ripe, that bear nodules on the roots that contain nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and that include important food plants (as peas, beans, or clovers)

b

: the part (as seeds or pods) of a legume used as food

2

: the pod of a legume

Medical Definition

legume

noun

le·​gume ˈleg-ˌyüm  li-ˈgyüm 

1

: the fruit or seed of leguminous plants (as peas or beans) used for food

2

: any plant of the family Leguminosae