cowpea
noun
\
Definition of cowpea
: a sprawling herb (Vigna unguiculata synonym V. sinensis) of the legume family related to the bean and widely cultivated in the southern U.S. for forage, green manure, and edible seeds
also
: its edible seed
— called also
black-eyed pea, field pea
Examples of cowpea in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
They are found on cowpeas, lima beans, snap beans, soybeans in most states east of the Mississippi River; also parts of Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Texas, Utah. — The Editors Of Organic Life, Good Housekeeping, "10 Most Destructive Garden Insects And How To Get Rid Of Them," 3 June 2016 Field peas or cowpeas—which include black-eyed peas, crowder peas, and cream peas—are, botanically, beans. — The Editors Of Organic Life, Good Housekeeping, "Growing Peas Has Never Been Easier Than This," 31 Mar. 2017 Others never caught on, like the Ron bean from the Yucatán, with its thick ochre skin and bland flesh, or the Veronico, from the town of Tecozautla, which looked like a pine nut but tasted like a cowpea. — Junot Díaz, The New Yorker, "The Hunt for Mexico’s Heirloom Beans," 17 Apr. 2018 Asia was home to adzuki, soybeans, winged beans, mung and urad dal, and Africa produced cowpeas, yard-long beans, pigeon peas, Dolichos lablab beans and black-eyed peas. — Margaret Lauterbach, idahostatesman, "Like beans? Here’s a rundown on how to grow them | Idaho Statesman," 14 Mar. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cowpea.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on cowpea
What made you want to look up cowpea? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Words from Greek and Roman Mythology Quiz
-
- Boreal comes from the name of the ancient Greek god of which wind?
Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Share cowpea
Resources for cowpea