soybean

noun

soy·​bean ˈsȯi-ˌbēn How to pronounce soybean (audio)
variants or chiefly British soya bean
: 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

Illustration of soybean

Examples of soybean in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Beef and soybean exports have bankrolled a construction boom, transforming the capital’s skyline, but destroying swaths of Paraguay’s biodiverse forests. Laurence Blair, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024 Robert Wayne Smith was helping unload soybeans in a bin while running a grain vacuum on March 4, according to a news release from the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office. Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2024 South Dakota Employment gain: 3% The agricultural state has struggled because of corn, soybean and other commodity prices that have fallen from their mid-2022 peaks. Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2024 The family grew commercial crops — wheat, corn and soybeans — but also had their own garden, fruit trees and animals raised for meat. Tim Carman, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2024 That was the year that China all but cut off the soybean spigot in retaliation for U.S. tariffs on some $350 billion of Chinese imports, at a time when a majority of U.S. exports went there. Ken Roberts, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The changes in temperature and precipitation can also add to stress on Indiana’s key agricultural products like corn, soybeans and wheat, leading to a reduction in crop yields. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 23 Feb. 2024 Tofu, made of soybeans, is a complete protein and endlessly versatile. Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 18 Feb. 2024 Farmers growing cotton and soybean, both broad-leaf crops, couldn't use the product directly at first. The Arizona Republic, 10 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'soybean.' 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

1795, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of soybean was in 1795

Dictionary Entries Near soybean

Cite this Entry

“Soybean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soybean. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

soybean

noun
soy·​bean ˈsȯi-ˈbēn How to pronounce soybean (audio)
-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 How to pronounce soybean (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on soybean

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