chickpea

noun

chick·​pea ˈchik-ˌpē How to pronounce chickpea (audio)
: 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 Open a can of beans — pinto, cannellini, chickpeas — to add hearty vegetable protein, and add a sprinkle of toasted nuts or seeds for more protein and satisfying crunch. Ellie Krieger, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023 Simply drizzle the traditional Thanksgiving side dish with our homemade rosemary-brown sugar dressing and add the chickpeas before sliding the dish in the oven. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Nov. 2023 For example, Korean BBQ tofu burgers with daikon-cucumber salad come with a premade quick-pickle brine and the Burmese chickpea and tomato soup arrives with a garlicky, gingery, lemongrass paste. Tiffany Hopkins, Bon Appétit, 30 Oct. 2023 Use our classic chickpea recipe for garlicky hummus as your home base. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Nov. 2023 The battle began in 2009, when Lebanon claimed Israel was trying to steal its national dish, turning the dip of sesame paste and chickpeas into an avatar of hostilities in the Middle East. Kim Severson, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2023 The near-bare shelves are scattered with the odd container of powdered milk; walnuts; bags of lentils, chickpeas, and pasta; and a few cans of beef and tuna. Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Oct. 2023 The chain is launching vegan nacho sauce nationwide, which according to a Taco Bell spokesperson, is made from a chickpea and soy base, and it's certified by the American Vegetarian Association. Lizzy Rosenberg, Peoplemag, 28 Sep. 2023 Okra, tomatoes, and chickpeas make up the bulk of the flavorful side dish. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chickpea.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of chickpea was in 1542

Dictionary Entries Near chickpea

Cite this Entry

“Chickpea.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chickpea. Accessed 11 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

chickpea

noun
chick·​pea ˈchik-ˌpē How to pronounce chickpea (audio)
: an Asian herb of the legume family cultivated for its short pods with one or two edible seeds
also : its seed

More from Merriam-Webster on chickpea

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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