plural legumes
1
a
: the dry fruit of plants of the legume family (such as peas or beans) that develops from a single carpel of a flower and usually splits into two halves with seeds attached to the seam of one half : pod entry 1 sense 1
b
: the fruit or seeds of a legume plant (such as the peanut or tamarind) used for food
2
: any of a large family (Leguminosae synonym Fabaceae, the legume family) of dicotyledonous plants that have fruits that are legumes and roots with nodules containing nitrogen-fixing bacteria and that includes important food and forage plants (such as peas, beans, or clovers)
Cite this Entry
“Legume.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legume. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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