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

They are regulated more like futures trading over the price of soybeans – and therefore are overseen by the CFTC instead of states. —Marshall Cohen, CNN Money, 10 June 2026

Nourishing ingredients like soybean and plant oils sink into skin and lift up dirt and blemish-causing bacteria. —Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 8 June 2026

Canada is eyeing Indonesia as a potential market for wheat, potash, wood, and soybeans, which the government believes will enjoy more competitive benefits on the Indonesian market. —Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 8 June 2026

Edamame is young, immature soybeans. —Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 8 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