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Definition of jack bean

jack bean

Plural:jack beans
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• noun

1

The large, white, oblong seed or young green pod of the tropical legume Canavalia ensiformis, which is edible as a vegetable only after thorough boiling or processing to neutralize its natural toxins.

Example

"The farmers harvested the tender young pods of the jack bean to boil and serve as a side dish."

2

A vigorous, bushy or climbing annual plant of the family Fabaceae (Canavalia ensiformis), native to Central and South America and widely cultivated in tropical regions for green manure, livestock forage, and as a commercial source of the enzyme urease.

Example

"Agronomists often recommend planting the drought-tolerant jack bean as a nitrogen-fixing cover crop in depleted tropical soils."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for jack bean

• Nearby Words

jacaranda
jacaranda snake
jack
jack bean
jack dempsey
jack in the pulpit
jack smelt

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

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