Search Dictionary
Definition of fava bean
fava bean
Plural:fava beans
• noun
1
American The large, flat, edible green bean (seed) of the Vicia faba plant, widely cultivated as a cool-season crop and used in various global cuisines.
Example
"She prepared a fresh spring salad topped with blanched fava beans and a light lemon vinaigrette."
2
American The upright, bushy annual plant of the pea family (Vicia faba) that yields large, flat, edible green seeds.
Example
"The farmer planted a cover crop of fava beans to enrich the soil with nitrogen over the winter."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for fava beanWord Nuance & Usage
In American English, this legume is commonly known as a fava bean, whereas in British and Commonwealth English, it is almost exclusively referred to as a broad bean.
• Nearby Words
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Fava bean. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/fava%20bean