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Glite Dictionary
English bean

English bean

3.0
A large flat bean that people cook and eat, also called fava
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : haba
  • The farmer harvested a field full of English beans for the local market.

Examples

  • We served a stew made with fresh English beans and herbs.

  • I bought some fresh English beans from the market.

  • The English bean plants thrive in temperate climates and provide nutritious seeds.

  • Did you know that English beans are high in fiber?

  • The English bean plants thrive in temperate climates and provide nutritious seeds.

  • The farmer harvested a field full of English beans for the local market.

  • We served a stew made with fresh English beans and herbs.

Synonyms

fava
vsEnglish bean
6 4.6

A type of broad bean used in Mediterranean cooking

is focused on regional culinary use rather than the general agricultural description
fava bean
vsEnglish bean
  • US
5 3.1

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

is the name for the whole plant rather than just the seed
broad-bean plant
vsEnglish bean
  • UK
4.7

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

is the widely used common name for the same plant
broad bean
vsEnglish bean
  • UK
2.2

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

is the alternative common term used for the same plant
Vicia faba
vsEnglish bean
  • Specialized
8.1

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

is the widely used common name rather than the Latin label
field bean
vsEnglish bean
  • UK
5.6

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

is the general common name covering the same agricultural use
European bean
vsEnglish bean
  • UK
4.2

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

is the broader Old World term rather than a region-specific label
horsebean
vsEnglish bean
  • Archaic
8.9

A seed from the broad bean plant used as food for people and animals

is the plant-focused term emphasizing growth and use rather than the seed itself
horse bean
vsEnglish bean
  • UK
7.8

A type of broad bean grown to feed animals

is the broader plant term covering both edible seeds and fodder use

Surface Forms

English bean singular
English beans plural
broad beans plural
fava beans plural
broad bean singular
fava bean singular

Morphology

English + bean

The meaning is directly compositional: 'English' (pertaining to England) modifies 'bean' (an edible seed), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a bean variety associated with England. This follows a common adjective+noun pattern cross-linguistically and is therefore immediately understandable from its parts.

Etymology

English bean — one popular story says the name comes from the long use of this large, flat bean in English gardens and cooking, so people abroad began to call this kind the 'English bean' instead of the 'broad bean' or 'fava bean'. That's why today English bean means the garden plant Vicia faba, the big, flat bean used in many dishes.