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 current fertilizer prices could also cause some farmers to shift from planting corn to planting more soybeans, which Jore said requires less nitrogen fertilizer. —Kelly McCarthy, ABC News, 18 Apr. 2026

These voracious eaters are particularly fond of soybeans and other legumes, alfalfa, broccoli, corn, and apples. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Apr. 2026

Look for hardwood ridges near agricultural fields, river bottoms that might hold good roost trees, and timber points that jut out into corn or soybean fields. —Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 16 Apr. 2026

Today, thanks to her work, 85% of Brazil’s soybeans are grown using these microbes rather than synthetic fertilizers. —Kyla Mandel, Time, 15 Apr. 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