legumes

1.名詞B2

釋義

the dried beans, peas, or lentils that people eat, valued as a low-fat source of protein and fibre

例句

Beatriz adds black beans, chickpeas, or other legumes to almost every soup she cooks.

examples list: black beans, chickpeas, or other legumes

Doctors often advise patients to eat more legumes instead of red meat for protein.

collocation: eat legumes instead of meat

同義詞

pulses
British / nutrition-science term for the dried edible seeds; narrower than legumes
beans
everyday word; legumes is the broader category that also covers peas and lentils

legumes such as [bean/pea/lentil names]

rich in / source of legumes

In food and nutrition writing this sense is usually plural and treated like a category label, similar to 'grains' or 'vegetables'.

❌I ate a legume for lunch.

✅I ate some legumes for lunch.

💡used as a category, usually in the plural with 'some' or a measure word.

2.名詞C1

釋義

plants of the pea and bean family whose roots help put nitrogen back into the soil, making them useful for farmers who rotate crops

例句

Farmer Hiro plants legumes between rows of corn to keep the soil healthy without using fertiliser.

context: crop rotation usage

Clover and alfalfa are legumes that small farms grow to feed their cattle.

collocation: X and Y are legumes

同義詞

legumes such as [plant names]

grow / plant legumes

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense names the whole plant (root, stem, leaves, pods), while sense 1 refers only to the dried seeds eaten as food.

❌Legumes only mean beans you eat.

✅Legumes also refer to the whole plants in the bean family.

💡the word covers the plant itself in biology and farming, not just the food.

legumes — noun