Soybean

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Soybean \Soy"bean\ (soi"b[=e]n`), n.
     1. (Bot.) An Asiatic leguminous herb ({Glycine max}, formerly
        {Glycine Soja}) the seeds of which (also called {soy
        beans}) are used in preparing the sauce called {soy}.
        Called also {soya bean} and {soya}.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     2. the seeds of the {Glycine max}, which produce {soybean
        oil}; -- called also {soya bean}.
        [PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  soybean
       n 1: a source of oil; used for forage and soil improvement and as
            food [syn: {soy}, {soya bean}]
       2: erect bushy hairy annual herb having trifoliate leaves and
          purple to pink flowers; extensively cultivated for food
          and forage and soil improvement but especially for its
          nutritious oil-rich seeds; native to Asia [syn: {soy}, {soya},
           {soya bean}, {soybean plant}, {soja}, {soja bean}, {Glycine
          max}]
       3: most highly proteinaceous vegetable crop known [syn: {soy}]