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Definition of broad bean

broad bean

Plural:broad beans
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• noun

1

A large, flat, edible green bean eaten as a vegetable, removed from the thick pods of the Vicia faba plant before cooking.

Example

"She prepared a fresh spring salad tossed with mint, peas, and blanched broad beans."

2

The upright, bushy leguminous plant (Vicia faba) native to North Africa and southwest Asia, cultivated globally for its edible seeds, pods, and as a forage crop.

Example

"The farmer planted broad beans as a cover crop to naturally fix nitrogen in the soil before the next harvest."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for broad bean

Word Nuance & Usage

In North American English, this vegetable is more frequently referred to as a 'fava bean', whereas 'broad bean' is the standard everyday term in British, Australian, and New Zealand English.

• Nearby Words

bro
broach
broad
broad bean
broad peak
broad-headed snake
broad-snouted caiman

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Broad bean. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/broad-bean
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