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

Vietnam has floated the possibility of importing more American soybeans and other agricultural products. —Alexandra Stevenson, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025

Risks of Soy Milk Most people can safely eat soybeans and soy products. —Merve Ceylan, Health, 20 Feb. 2025

According to The Washington Post, recent purchases of $340 million worth of rice, wheat and soybeans have been placed on hold by the Trump administration and are now stranded at American ports where they were sent for export. —Tom Zirpoli, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2025

Citing unnamed officials The Washington Post claimed over $340 million worth of U.S. food aid, including what, rice and soybeans, is currently stuck due to the new president's executive order on foreign aid. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1795, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing soybean

• soybean oil

Rhymes for soybean

• agin
• alkene
• allene
• ameen
• amin
• amine
• arene
• athene
• baleen
• beeline
• benzene
• between

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