soybean

noun

soy·​bean ˈsȯi-ˌbēn 

variants or chiefly British soya bean

ˈsȯi-ə- 

: a hairy annual Asian legume (Glycine max) widely grown for its oil-rich proteinaceous seeds and for forage and soil improvement

also : its seed

Illustration of soybean

Examples of soybean in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Young soybeans are called edamame. —Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 16 June 2026

They are found in foods such as egg yolks, soybeans, wheat germ, peanuts, and liver. —James Powel, USA Today, 15 June 2026

The other three acres are rented out to a local farmer for soybeans and field corn alternatively. —Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2026

According to the Department of Justice, McBee admitted to submitting fraudulent reports that significantly underreported portions of his 2018 corn and soybean harvests. —Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1795, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing soybean

• soybean oil

Rhymes for soybean

• agin
• alkene
• allene
• ameen
• amin
• arene
• athene
• baleen
• beeline
• benzene
• between
• bromine

Kids Definition

soybean

noun

soy·​bean ˈsȯi-ˈbēn 

-ˌbēn

: a hairy annual Asian plant of the legume family widely grown for its edible seeds rich in oil and proteins, as food for livestock, and for soil improvement

also : its seed

Medical Definition

soybean

noun

soy·​bean ˈsȯi-ˌbēn 

variants also soya bean

: a hairy annual Asian legume (Glycine max) grown for its oil-rich proteinaceous seeds and for forage and soil improvement

also : its seed