legumes

Meanings

1. 1nounplural

   Plants of the pea family whose seeds grow in pods, such as beans, peas, and lentils.

   Grammar: Plural of legume; use it with a plural verb: Legumes are healthy.

   Patterns

   • grow legumes
   • eat legumes
   • legumes such as beans and peas

   Farmers often plant legumes to improve the soil.

   Legumes such as lentils and chickpeas are rich in protein.

   She added more legumes to her diet for extra fiber.

2. 2nounplural

   The seed pods or seeds of these plants used as food.

   Grammar: Plural of legume; refers to the edible parts.

   Patterns

   • cook legumes
   • dried legumes
   • a can of legumes

   The recipe calls for dried legumes like kidney beans.

   Soak the legumes overnight before cooking.

   You can buy canned legumes at any grocery store.

Word forms

Common combinations

legumes such as

Legumes such as peas and beans are easy to grow.

dried legumes

Dried legumes need to be soaked before cooking.

plant legumes

Farmers plant legumes to enrich the soil with nitrogen.

legumes and grains

A meal of legumes and grains provides complete protein.

Synonyms and how they differ

pulses

Pulses are the dried seeds of legumes, so it is a narrower term; use it when you mean only the dried seeds, not the whole plants.

beans

Beans are a type of legume, but the word is more common in everyday speech; use beans when you mean specific beans, not the whole plant family.

Word family

leguminous adjective

Relating to or characteristic of legumes, as in leguminous plants.

Commonly confused: legumes or vegetables?

Practice

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