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Glite Dictionary
pea bean

pea bean

2.5
A small white seed that is dried and cooked to eat
  • noun
translation icon : frijol blanco
  • I bought some pea beans at the market.

Examples

  • Farmers in the area primarily cultivate pea beans for their local markets.

  • After soaking overnight, the pea beans cooked quickly and added a creamy texture to the soup.

  • The recipe calls for a cup of dried pea beans for the stew.

  • The pea bean is rich in protein.

  • The recipe calls for one cup of pea beans to make a hearty soup.

  • At the market, I bought a bag of dried pea beans for my chili.

  • She prefers using pea beans in her salads because of their subtle flavor.

Synonyms

white bean
vspea bean
4 1.1

A small white seed that people cook and eat

is a more specific type within that group and is often dried
navy bean
vspea bean
  • US
1 1.5

A small white dried bean used in soups and baked beans

is a broader edible type of pale-seeded bean used as food

Surface Forms

pea bean singular
pea beans plural

Morphology

pea + bean

The meaning 'a type of white-seeded bean' is directly and compositionally derived from 'pea' (small round seed) + 'bean' (edible legume), indicating a bean that is pea-like or associated with peas. This noun–noun compounding follows common English and cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would likely infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

Pea bean comes from the simple image of a small, round bean that looks like a pea. That's why the name today means a white-seeded bean 'used for food'.