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

Los Angeles took a big hit on the crucial agricultural export of soybeans, according to Seroka. —Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 17 Feb. 2026

The house fulfilled a different dream for Wukitsch, who grew up on a corn and soybean farm in Iowa, taking care of hogs and horses. —Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026

Money from the Farm Bill goes toward corn and soybean farmers. —Sarah Koch, CBS News, 16 Feb. 2026

Like soybeans, lupins contain all nine essential amino acids. —Randi Gollin, Martha Stewart, 15 Feb. 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