bean

1 of 2

noun

ˈbēn 

1

a

: fava bean

b

: the seed of any of various erect or climbing plants (as of the genera Phaseolus and Vigna) of the legume family other than the fava bean

c

: a plant bearing beans

d

: an immature bean pod used as a vegetable

2

a

: a valueless item

b

beans plural : the least amount

didn't know beans about it

3

: any of various seeds or fruits that resemble beans or bean pods

coffee beans

also : a plant producing these

4

a

beans plural : exuberance

—used in the phrase full of beans

b

beans plural : nonsense, bunkum

—used in the phrase full of beans

5

: head, brain

6

: a protuberance on the upper mandible of waterfowl see duck illustration

bean

2 of 2

verb

beaned; beaning; beans

transitive verb

: to strike (a person) on the head with an object

Synonyms

Noun

• head
• skull
• noodle
• dome
• pate
• nut [slang]
• nob
• mazzard
• noddle

Examples of bean in a Sentence

Noun

We ate rice and beans for dinner.

We're growing tomatoes and beans in our garden this year.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The signature bowl, which includes Rancho Gordo heirloom beans, poblano peppers, burrata, Parmesan, oregano and sourdough bread in its autumn iteration, is now $17 instead of its original $21. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2025

The bold cherry hue of this bean bag will bring some game-room energy to any space in your home. —Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 30 Oct. 2025

Verb

Detmers came in to face the top of the order and beaned Brandon Nimmo to load the bases for Francisco Lindor, who beat out a double play to score Alvarez, and stole second to put runners on second and third. —Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 22 July 2025

Suárez fell behind 3-0 in the count to Ohtani, and on the next pitch, Suárez beaned Ohtani with a 100 mph fastball to the right shoulder. —Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 21 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bene, from Old English bēan; akin to Old High German bōna bean

Verb

verbal derivative of bean entry 1 in sense "head"

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1909, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing bean

• adzuki bean
• azuki bean
• bean counter
• bean counting
• bean curd
• bean sprouts
• bean thread
• black bean
• black-eyed bean
• broad bean
• butter bean
• cacao bean
• Calabar bean
• cannellini bean
• castor bean
• cocoa bean
• coffee bean
• fava bean
• French bean
• garbanzo bean
• great northern bean
• green bean
• haricot bean
• jack bean
• jelly bean
• jequirity bean
• jumping bean
• kidney bean
• lima bean
• locust bean
• Mexican bean beetle
• Mexican jumping bean
• moth bean
• mung bean
• navy bean
• pea bean
• pinto bean
• pole bean
• red bean
• runner bean
• scarlet runner bean
• shell bean
• sieva bean
• snap bean
• soya bean
• string bean
• tepary bean
• tonka bean
• turtle bean
• vanilla bean
• velvet bean
• wax bean
• white bean
• winged bean
• yard-long bean

Rhymes for bean

• bein
• bien
• bouin
• chine
• clean
• deen
• diene
• gene
• glean
• jean
• keen
• lien

Kids Definition

bean

noun

ˈbēn

1

a

: broad bean

b

: the seed or pod of various erect or climbing plants of the legume family

c

: a plant bearing beans

2

: a seed or fruit like a bean

coffee beans