chickpea

noun

chick·​pea ˈchik-ˌpē 

: an Asian herb (Cicer arietinum) of the legume family cultivated for its short pods with one or two seeds

also : its seed

Examples of chickpea in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Koshari, a local staple made with pasta, rice, and chickpeas, comes reimagined as a salad, while jammy eggs wrapped in falafel dough are reminiscent of Scotch eggs. —Chris Schalkx, Travel + Leisure, 14 Sep. 2025

Sides include chickpea salad, Greek salad, white rice and fries. —Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Sep. 2025

Legumes and Pulses Legumes and pulses include beans, chickpeas, peas, lentils, soybeans, peanuts, edamame, green beans, and fresh peas. —Merve Ceylan, Health, 4 Sep. 2025

While the tried-and-true standards are done well, why not start your day on a savory note with the Moroccan eggplant and chickpea tagine? —Katie Chang, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

alteration of chich pea, from Middle English chiche, from Anglo-French, from Latin cicer

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

chickpea

noun

chick·​pea ˈchik-ˌpē 

: an Asian herb of the legume family cultivated for its short pods with one or two edible seeds

also : its seed