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

Bessara, an Egyptian fava bean spread, is revamped with frozen edamame. —Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Apr. 2026

The chef often goes ashore to select special ingredients, like fava beans. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Apr. 2026

The next iteration of Omar’s tetela will be filled with fresh fava beans and arranged with mushrooms. —Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026

If fava beans are difficult to find, lima beans are a great alternative. —Farideh Sadeghin, Saveur, 19 Mar. 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

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

Kids Definition

fava bean

noun

fa·​va bean ˈfä-və- 

: broad bean

Medical Definition

fava bean

noun

fa·​va bean ˈfäv-ə- 

: broad bean