soybean

noun

soy·​bean ˈsȯi-ˌbēn 

variants or chiefly British soya bean

ˈsȯi-ə- 

: a hairy annual Asian legume (Glycine max) widely grown for its oil-rich proteinaceous seeds and for forage and soil improvement

also : its seed

Illustration of soybean

Examples of soybean in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ostrich feed appears similar, containing alfalfa, wheat, and soybeans. —Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 8 Jan. 2025

Crush margins refer to the profit margin that processors (or crushers) earn when converting raw soybeans (or other oilseeds) into their derivative products: soybean meal and soybean oil. —Michael Khouw, CNBC, 2 Jan. 2025

Its fertilizers are widely used on wheat, corn and soybeans. —Brett Owens, Forbes, 25 Dec. 2024

After the first Trump Administration placed a series of tariffs on China in 2018, China retaliated by placing tariffs on soybean imports. —Simmone Shah, TIME, 19 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1795, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing soybean

• soybean oil

Kids Definition

soybean

noun

soy·​bean ˈsȯi-ˈbēn 

-ˌbēn

: a hairy annual Asian plant of the legume family widely grown for its edible seeds rich in oil and proteins, as food for livestock, and for soil improvement

also : its seed

Medical Definition

soybean

noun

soy·​bean ˈsȯi-ˌbēn 

variants also soya bean

: a hairy annual Asian legume (Glycine max) grown for its oil-rich proteinaceous seeds and for forage and soil improvement

also : its seed