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Definition of lima bean

lima bean

Plural:lima beans
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• noun

1

The broad, flat, pale green or white edible seed of a Central and South American legume, widely cultivated and consumed as a vegetable.

Example

"She prepared a traditional succotash by simmering sweet corn, diced tomatoes, and fresh lima beans together."

2

The warm-season, bushy or climbing plant (Phaseolus lunatus) of the legume family that is grown for its flat, edible seeds.

Example

"We constructed a tall wooden trellis to support the climbing lima beans in our summer garden."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for lima bean

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

lily of the nile
lily of the valley
lima
lima bean
lima beans
limax
limay

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

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