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

Step 2 To the skillet, add the chickpeas, lemon juice, and mustard and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes more. —Greg Chelmis, Saveur, 10 July 2025

Readers praised the destination for its delicious food—it’s known for its vibrant mushrooms, chickpeas, and seafood—and excellent shopping. —Hannah Walhout, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2025

Some dishes don’t quite live up to their big ideas: a pot of mussels steamed with chickpeas and spicy ’nduja arrived a little on the dry side, and a Caesar salad, topped with crunchy bits of anchovy, the lettuce blackened on the grill, was blobbily overdressed. —Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 6 July 2025

Most brands feature chickpeas as the primary ingredient, but keeping true to the original recipe, tehina remains the star of Zahav Hummus. —Amber Love Bond, Forbes.com, 2 July 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