soybean

noun

soy·​bean ˈsȯi-ˌbēn 

variants or chiefly British soya bean

ˈsȯi-ə- 

: a hairy annual Asian legume (Glycine max) widely grown for its oil-rich proteinaceous seeds and for forage and soil improvement

also : its seed

Illustration of soybean

Examples of soybean in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Today, Wilken grows 4,000 acres of grain, rye, corn and soybeans in central Illinois with his son — without the use of synthetic chemicals like Roundup. —Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026

In Tazewell County, Illinois, Michael Deppert depends on a natural pool of water beneath the sandy soils of his farm to irrigate the pumpkins, corn, and soybeans growing in his fields. —Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 28 Apr. 2026

Bland grows rice and soybeans on about 2,000 acres. —Drew Hawkins, NPR, 25 Apr. 2026

This has affected the production at nearly 70% of wheat farms, 29% of soybean farms, and 26% of corn. —Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1795, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing soybean

• soybean oil

Rhymes for soybean

• agin
• alkene
• allene
• ameen
• amin
• amine
• arene
• athene
• baleen
• beeline
• benzene
• between

Kids Definition

soybean

noun

soy·​bean ˈsȯi-ˈbēn 

-ˌbēn

: a hairy annual Asian plant of the legume family widely grown for its edible seeds rich in oil and proteins, as food for livestock, and for soil improvement

also : its seed

Medical Definition

soybean

noun

soy·​bean ˈsȯi-ˌbēn 

variants also soya bean

: a hairy annual Asian legume (Glycine max) grown for its oil-rich proteinaceous seeds and for forage and soil improvement

also : its seed