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Added 9 October 2026

bean

/ˈbi(ː)n/ noun

In Latin: faba, phaseolus Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about bean at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Any plant of several genera of the taxonomic family Fabaceae that produces large edible seeds or edible seedpods.
The large edible seed of such a plant (for example, a broad bean, navy bean, or garbanzo bean).
The edible seedpod of such a plant.
Green beans, also called French beans, can be pickled.

verb

To hit with a projectile, especially a deliberately aimed blow to the head.
The pitcher beaned the batter, rather than letting him hit another home run.

Origin

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, Norwegian Nynorsk bauna, baune, bogna, bønne, Swedish böna, Irish pónaire, Manx poanrey, Scottish Gaelic pònair, Latin faba, Russian боб (bob), Serbo-Croatian bȍb /бо̏б. Doublet of fava.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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