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Glite Dictionary
Cicer arietinum

Cicer arietinum

6.1
An annual Asian plant that makes small pods with one or two edible chickpeas
  • noun
  • /ˈsɪsər ˌɛrɪˈɛtɪnəm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Cicer arietinum
  • The plant Cicer arietinum is commonly known as chickpea.

Examples

  • The protein-rich seeds of Cicer arietinum are used in many traditional dishes.

  • Botanists classify the chickpea as Cicer arietinum.

  • Cicer arietinum is widely cultivated in India, the Middle East, and Mediterranean regions.

  • Did you know that Cicer arietinum is rich in protein?

  • Cicer arietinum is a popular ingredient in various cuisines around the world, especially in India.

  • Farmers grow Cicer arietinum for its nutritious seeds, which are often used in salads and stews.

  • Cicer arietinum thrives in warm climates, making it a staple crop in Mediterranean agriculture.

Synonyms

chickpea
vsCicer arietinum
1 2.1

A small plant that makes the round pale yellow seeds people eat

refers to the plant species rather than the seed used as food
Egyptian pea
vsCicer arietinum
5.2

A plant with short pods that have one or two round seeds people eat

is the formal scientific name rather than the common regional term
chickpea plant
vsCicer arietinum
  • Specialized
3.2

An annual plant that produces round edible seeds called chickpeas

is the formal scientific label used for that plant species

Surface Forms

Cicer arietinum singular
Cicer arietina singular

Morphology

Cicer + arietinum

This is a Latin binomial taxonomic name (scientific name) rather than a compositional English phrase, so its meaning ('chickpea') is not transparently built from everyday English constituents. One element ('arietinum') is obscure and even knowing 'Cicer' as a genus does not allow a B1 learner to infer the common name without specialized botanical knowledge, making the expression non-derivable from its parts.

Etymology

The scientific name Cicer arietinum may come from two Latin words, cicer, the old name for the 'chickpea', and arietinum, meaning 'like a ram'. One simple story says the small round seed looked a little like a tiny ram's head, so this Latin name stuck as the name for the 'chickpea'.