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

Even the skin around the bean had a distinguishable bite, clinging to each chickpea rather than turning slippery or wispy. —Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 Jan. 2026

This high-protein, lower-carb chickpea pizza tastes like a traditional pie and is topped with a creamy white sauce, spinach, and a blend of mozzarella, provolone, white cheddar, parmesan, and Romano cheeses. —Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 7 Jan. 2026

Toss chickpeas with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder. —Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026

It's packed with good-for-you ingredients like quinoa, spinach, chickpeas, and colorful veggies. —Lizzy Briskin, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Jan. 2026

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