jumping bean

noun

: a seed of any of several Mexican shrubs (genera Sebastiania and Sapium) of the spurge family that tumbles about because of the movements of the larva of a small tortricid moth (Cydia saltitans synonym C. deshaisiana) inside it

Examples of jumping bean in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Tiny jumping beans can hop to their heart's content while safely inside on this 3-foot trampoline. Samantha McIntyre, Parents, 24 Oct. 2023 In the Shakespeare Studio, teacher Jo Gray lobs imaginary jumping beans into the mouths of children from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School. Jim Higgins, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9 May 2018 Australia's Alison Wonderland will be a jumping bean behind the decks. Kat Bein, Billboard, 28 Feb. 2018 Still, the patients’ stories wriggled like jumping beans in my brain. Julie Rehmeyer, Slate Magazine, 12 June 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jumping bean.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jumping bean was circa 1889

Dictionary Entries Near jumping bean

Cite this Entry

“Jumping bean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jumping%20bean. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

jumping bean

noun
: a seed of any of several Mexican shrubs that tumbles about because of the movements of the larva of a small moth inside it
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