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bean

Pronunciation: /ˈbi(ː)n/

The English word “bean” has 12 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. Any plant of several genera of the taxonomic family Fabaceae that produces large edible seeds or edible seedpods.
  2. The large edible seed of such a plant (for example, a broad bean, navy bean, or garbanzo bean).
  3. The edible seedpod of such a plant.
  4. The bean-like seed of certain other plants, such as a vanilla bean or (especially) a coffee bean.
  5. An object resembling a pea or bean in shape, often made from plastic or styrofoam and used in large numbers as packing material or as stuffing for beanbags and similar items.
  6. The head or brain.
  7. The human clitoris.
  8. A person; especially, a baby.
  9. A guinea coin or sovereign.
  10. Money.
  11. Any form of tablet, especially benzedrine (benny).

verb

  1. To hit with a projectile, especially a deliberately aimed blow to the head.

Etymology

From Middle English bene, from Old English bēan, from Proto-West Germanic *baunu, from Proto-Germanic *baunō (“bean”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰabʰ- (“bean”). Cognate with Scots bene, bein (“bean”), North Frisian buan, Saterland Frisian Boone, West Frisian bean, beanne, Dutch boon, German Bohne, Luxembourgish Boun, Danish bønne, Faroese bøn, bøna, Icelandic baun, Norwegian Bokmål bønne,…

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.