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Definition of string bean
string bean
Plural:string beans
• noun
1
North American A long, slender, edible green pod of certain varieties of the common bean plant, traditionally characterized by a tough fibrous strip along its seam.
Example
"We harvested a basket of fresh string beans from the garden to serve with dinner."
2
American An informal term for a person who is very tall and noticeably thin.
Example
"When he was a teenager, he shot up into a lanky string bean before eventually filling out in his twenties."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for string beanWord Nuance & Usage
Because modern agricultural varieties have been selectively bred to remove the tough fibrous seam, this vegetable is increasingly referred to as a 'green bean' or 'snap bean' in contemporary culinary contexts.
• 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 String bean. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/string%20bean