string bean

noun

1

: a bean of one of the older varieties of kidney bean that have stringy fibers on the lines of separation of the pods

broadly : snap bean

2

: a very tall thin person

Illustration of string bean

• string bean 1

Examples of string bean in a Sentence

Her boyfriend's a real string bean.

Recent Examples on the Web

Mark Twain fondly remembered eating succotash, string beans, squirrels, and rabbits on his uncle’s farm. —Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026

Turkey, string beans, yams, potato salad, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and of course, a little pasta on the side. —Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 25 Nov. 2025

Both types are made from the same variety of mature green beans (aka string beans or snap beans). —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Nov. 2025

But there are also completely unexpected sights, like edible ferns, exotic chilis, and snake beans, which look like string beans but are about twice the length. —Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1754, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for string bean

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

Kids Definition

string bean

noun

1

: a bean of one of the older varieties of kidney bean that have stringy fibers on the lines of separation of the pods

also : snap bean

2

: a very tall thin person