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

The liquid becomes ganjang (soy sauce); the solids are mashed to become doenjang (soybean paste). —Andrea Strong, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 May 2026

Meanwhile, soybean extract and hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid boost hydration levels. —Rosa Jisoo Pyo, Vogue, 8 May 2026

These soybeans also provide a variety of nutrients—including B vitamins, calcium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and iron—that support metabolic, immune, bone, and heart health. —Christina Manian, Health, 6 May 2026

The income from Minnesota farms growing corn and soybeans, often planted after each other on the same fields to improve crop yield, remained low in 2025. —Star Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 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