plural legumes
1
a
: the dry fruit of plants of the legume family (such as peas or beans) that develops from a single carpel of a flower and usually splits into two halves with seeds attached to the seam of one half : pod entry 1 sense 1
b
: the fruit or seeds of a legume plant (such as the peanut or tamarind) used for food
2
: any of a large family (Leguminosae synonym Fabaceae, the legume family) of dicotyledonous plants that have fruits that are legumes and roots with nodules containing nitrogen-fixing bacteria and that includes important food and forage plants (such as peas, beans, or clovers)
Examples of legume in a Sentence
recipes that include legumes like lentils and chickpeas
Recent Examples on the Web
The foods highest in zinc include meat, fish, and seafood, but zinc can be found in plant foods such as legumes, nuts, seeds, tempeh, and oats.
—
Melissa Nieves, Verywell Health, 17 May 2024
Magnesium-rich foods include nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, leafy vegetables, and milk products.
—Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 15 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for legume 
Melissa Nieves, Verywell Health, 17 May 2024
Magnesium-rich foods include nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, leafy vegetables, and milk products.
—Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 15 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for legume
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'legume.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Legume.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legume. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
1
: the fruit or seed of leguminous plants (as peas or beans) used for food
2
: any plant of the family Leguminosae
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