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Definition of butter bean

butter bean

Plural:butter beans
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• noun

1

A large, flat, edible seed of the Lima bean plant (Phaseolus lunatus), known for its pale color and creamy, buttery texture when cooked.

Example

"She simmered the butter beans with a smoked ham hock until they were tender and deeply flavorful."

2

The widely cultivated plant of the legume family that produces these edible pale seeds.

Example

"The farmer planted several rows of butter beans in the vegetable garden shortly after the last frost of the season."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for butter bean

Word Nuance & Usage

In British English, 'butter bean' is the standard term for the large Lima bean, while in the American South, it typically refers to a smaller, flatter, and younger variety of the same species.

• Nearby Words

butte
butter
butter and eggs
butter bean
butter beans
butterball
butterbean

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

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