lima bean
lima bean Lexical Profile
• noun
The broad, flat, pale green or white edible seed of a Central and South American legume, widely cultivated and consumed as a vegetable.
"She prepared a traditional succotash by simmering sweet corn, diced tomatoes, and fresh lima beans together."
The warm-season, bushy or climbing plant (Phaseolus lunatus) of the legume family that is grown for its flat, edible seeds.
"We constructed a tall wooden trellis to support the climbing lima beans in our summer garden."
Word Nuance & Usage
Though named after the Peruvian capital of Lima (pronounced LEE-ma), the bean is traditionally pronounced LYE-ma in English and is typically not capitalized.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Named in the late 18th century after Lima, the capital of Peru, where the beans have been cultivated since ancient times and from where they were widely exported. Combined with the Old English 'bēan'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.