lima bean

noun

li·​ma bean ˈlī-mə- How to pronounce lima bean (audio)
1
: a bushy or vining tropical American bean (Phaseolus lunatus synonym Phaseolus limensis) that is widely cultivated for its flat edible starchy seed which is usually pale green when immature and whitish or beige when mature
2
: the seed of a lima bean eaten usually cooked as a vegetable see butter bean, sieva bean

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Not a fan of lima beans? Bhg Test Kitchen, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Mar. 2023 In this case, Mukha, a port city in Yemen that handled coffee shipments in the 18th century. Other toponyms include vichyssoise, from Vichy, France; Tabasco peppers from the Mexican city; bialy from Bialystok, Poland; and lima beans from Lima, Peru (not Lima, Ohio). Kim Severson, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2023 Rich with fiber, vitamins, and minerals, lima beans are often considered one of the most nutritious legumes. Claudia Alarcón, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2023 The area was a major lima bean grower. Lola Sherman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Jan. 2023 Early plantings include lima bean, snap bean, corn, cucumber, eggplant, pepper, southern pea, rhubarb, squash, and tomato; End of the month crops include broccoli, cabbage, celery, collard, endive, lettuce, mustard, onion, radish, strawberry and turnip 4. Tom Maccubbin, orlandosentinel.com, 28 Aug. 2021 Three years: Arugula, green bean, lima bean, broccoli, carrot, lettuce and pea seeds. Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2022 Surprisingly unjuicy: The area was a working ranch, farming the humble lima bean long before scandal and designer boutiques moved in (and humility mostly moved out). The Editors, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2022 And the CT scan revealed a growth about the size of a lima bean on his pituitary. New York Times, 29 Dec. 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lima bean.' 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

Lima, Peru

First Known Use

1756, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lima bean was in 1756

Dictionary Entries Near lima bean

Cite this Entry

“Lima bean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lima%20bean. Accessed 8 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

lima bean

noun
li·​ma bean ˌlī-mə- How to pronounce lima bean (audio)
: a tropical American bean plant widely grown for its flat edible usually pale green or whitish seeds
also : the seed of a lima bean

More from Merriam-Webster on lima bean

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!