fava bean

noun

fa·​va bean ˈfä-və- 

: the large, flat, edible, starchy seed of an Old World upright vetch (Vicia faba) that is typically pale green to whitish in color and is eaten raw, blanched, or cooked

also : this plant widely grown for its seeds and as fodder

called also broad bean, horse bean

see favism

Examples of fava bean in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Legumes — lentils, chickpeas, fava beans and white beans — anchor some of the easiest high-fiber Mediterranean diet recipes and work in everything from soups and stews to salads and grain bowls. —Ryan Brennan june 9, Miami Herald, 9 June 2026

The cars were reportedly used as impromptu food trucks, with piles of courgettes, tomatoes, cherries, and fava beans on top of them. —Rebecca Cope, Vogue, 8 June 2026

It’s known for an extensive martini selection and dishes like crispy baked potato with crème fraîche and caviar; and branzino with fava beans, artichoke and snow pea salad. —Beth Landman, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026

Downtown restaurant Aiona is throwing the fish on its live fire grill and serving it with walnut romesco, panzanella and fava beans. —Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 20 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Italian fava "fava bean," going back to Latin faba, going back to dialectal Indo-European *b^hab^(h)- (whence also Serbian & Croatian bȍb, bòba "bean," Polish bób, Russian bob all going back to Slavic *bobŭ), probably borrowed from a European substratal language

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fava bean

• acridine
• acrolein
• adenine
• alkylene
• aniline
• anthracene
• aquiline
• asphaltene
• atlantean
• atrazine
• butadiene
• butylene

Kids Definition

fava bean

noun

fa·​va bean ˈfä-və- 

: broad bean

Medical Definition

fava bean

noun

fa·​va bean ˈfäv-ə- 

: broad bean