soybean

noun

soy·​bean ˈsȯi-ˌbēn 

variants or chiefly British soya bean

ˈsȯi-ə- 

: a hairy annual Asian legume (Glycine max) widely grown for its oil-rich proteinaceous seeds and for forage and soil improvement

also : its seed

Illustration of soybean

Examples of soybean in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Most Midwest farmers grow corn and soybeans, alternating what is planted on each field every year to preserve soil health. —Tom Polansek, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026

The country is the world’s largest exporter of beef and the biggest soybean producer. —ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026

Bulk and general cargo made up another 40% (1,339 ships), typically transporting agricultural commodities such as corn, wheat and soybeans, and also coal and iron ore. —Flavio MacAu, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026

Animal products and meat typically supply sufficient amounts of all nine, and some plant sources, such as soybeans (used to make tofu and tempeh), are also considered complete proteins, supplying sufficient amounts of all nine. —Allison Aubrey, NPR, 30 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1795, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing soybean

• soybean oil

Rhymes for soybean

• agin
• alkene
• allene
• ameen
• amin
• amine
• arene
• athene
• baleen
• beeline
• benzene
• between

Kids Definition

soybean

noun

soy·​bean ˈsȯi-ˈbēn 

-ˌbēn

: a hairy annual Asian plant of the legume family widely grown for its edible seeds rich in oil and proteins, as food for livestock, and for soil improvement

also : its seed

Medical Definition

soybean

noun

soy·​bean ˈsȯi-ˌbēn 

variants also soya bean

: a hairy annual Asian legume (Glycine max) grown for its oil-rich proteinaceous seeds and for forage and soil improvement

also : its seed