chickpea

noun chick·pea \ ˈchik-ˌpē \

Updated on: 14 Apr 2018

Definition of chickpea

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

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Recent Examples of chickpea from the Web

His falafels, for example, are made with fava beans instead of chickpeas and also include sesame seeds.

— todd a. price, NOLA.com, "At new St. Roch Market stall, Cairo native serves up Egyptian culture," 6 Apr. 2018
Roasted chickpeas are now a mainstay of the snack aisle.

— anne marie chaker, WSJ, "Beans: The Superfood You've Always Known," 17 Mar. 2018
Cowpeas or crowder peas, mung and adzuki beans belong to the genus Vigna, fava and dolichos lablab beans to the Vicia genus; soybeans to the Glycine genus, garbanzos or chickpeas to Cicer, for instance.

— margaret lauterbach, idahostatesman, "Like beans? Here’s a rundown on how to grow them | Idaho Statesman," 14 Mar. 2018
Drain pasta and add to sauce, along with chickpeas and spinach.

— Sunset, "Chickpea and Spinach Orecchiette with Crispy Lemon Bread Crumbs," 22 Jan. 2018
Reduce heat to med.; simmer 1 hour or until chickpeas are soft and skins have loosened.

— the good housekeeping test kitchen, Good Housekeeping, "Mediterranean Hummus Egg Smash," 17 Mar. 2017
That's one of a number of dishes that are gluten free, as befits a place that largely traffics in cider, and there are concessions to the vegans as well, including a nominal Cobb salad with squash, kale, chickpeas, and lemon-tahini dressing.

— mike sula, Chicago Reader, "Irving Park’s Eris is a space of supermortal dimensions," 22 Mar. 2018
In a post on its website, the grocery chain explained that the mix is made with ground fava beans, chickpeas, garlic, onion, and spices like cumin and coriander.

— olivia harrison, refinery29.com, "Trader Joe's Newest Product Just Dethroned This Frozen Food Staple," 21 Mar. 2018
Most of us think only of the New World beans when the topic of beans arises, but the Old World had fava beans, chickpeas (garbanzos), lentils, peas, and lupin beans.

— margaret lauterbach, idahostatesman, "Like beans? Here’s a rundown on how to grow them | Idaho Statesman," 14 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chickpea.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of chickpea

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

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First Known Use: circa 1722

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CHICKPEA Defined for English Language Learners

chickpea

noun

Definition of chickpea for English Language Learners

: a pale round seed that is cooked and eaten as a vegetable

CHICKPEA Defined for Kids

chickpea

noun chick·pea \ ˈchik-ˌpē \

Definition of chickpea for Students

: an edible roundish pale yellow seed from the pod of an Asian plant that is cooked and eaten as a vegetable

Learn More about chickpea

See words that rhyme with chickpea Spanish Central: Translation of chickpea Nglish: Translation of chickpea for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about chickpea

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