field bean

5.6

A tall plant grown for large flat seeds eaten by people and fed to animals

noun
/fiːld biːn/

: haba

The farmers decided to plant field beans this year to enrich the soil and feed their cattle.

Examples

The large seeds of the field bean are often used in Mediterranean cuisine.
Some vegetarian recipes use field beans as a protein-rich meat substitute.
The field bean is a nutritious crop.
Farmers grow field beans for animal feed.
Farmers often grow field beans to provide nutritious fodder for their livestock.
Many dishes in Mediterranean cuisine feature field beans because of their rich flavor.
Gardeners appreciate field beans for their ability to enrich the soil as they grow.

Synonyms

fava

vsfield bean

6 4.6

A type of broad bean used in Mediterranean cooking

is the broader agricultural term beyond culinary contexts

fava bean

vsfield bean

5 3.1

A large flat seed from the broad bean plant that people cook and eat

is about the plant grown to produce those seeds and fodder

Vicia faba

vsfield bean

Specialized

8.1

A plant from Europe and Asia that makes large flat beans people and animals eat

is the common agricultural name rather than the scientific term

broad-bean plant

vsfield bean

4.7

A garden plant grown for its large flat beans that people or animals eat

is used both for seed production and as animal fodder

broad bean

vsfield bean

2.2

An upright plant grown for its large flat edible seeds and food for animals

is the same crop but highlighted as a general farming term

English bean

vsfield bean

3.0

A large flat bean that people cook and eat, also called fava

is the neutral farming name used regardless of regional labels

European bean

vsfield bean

4.2

A plant from Europe that produces large flat seeds eaten by people and fed to animals

is the general crop name without stressing geographic origin

horse bean

vsfield bean

7.8

A type of broad bean grown to feed animals

is cultivated both for human food and for livestock fodder

Surface Forms

field bean singular

field beans plural

Morphology

field + bean

The meaning is directly and transparently built from 'field' (plot of land) + 'bean' (edible seed), yielding a bean associated with fields or grown as a crop. This straightforward modifier+noun compound follows common cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer it denotes a type of bean grown in fields (even if they don't know the specific species).

Etymology

Field bean comes from the simple picture of large beans growing upright in open fields, where farmers planted them for their big flat seeds used in cooking and to feed animals. So the name just describes a bean grown in the field and used as 'food' and 'animal feed'.