soybean

noun

soy·​bean ˈsȯi-ˌbēn How to pronounce soybean (audio)
variants or chiefly British soya bean
ˈsȯi-ə- How to pronounce soybean (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Like scoops of an ocean unmarred by humans, quarts of seaweed soup sit next to other flavors like spicy beef and pine nut and soybean, a shade of creamy beige so calming, one glance is enough to effectively absolve the color of its dull reputation. — Vanessa Anderson, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026 It’s made via a specific fermentation process using cooked soybeans with Bacillus subtilis var. — New Atlas, 21 Oct. 2026 The companies are regulated on the federal level by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or CFTC, which has historically focused on overseeing soybean futures and oil derivatives. — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026 During this time, prices for other row crops, including corn and soybeans, also fell. — Sj Guest Editorial, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for soybean

Word History

First Known Use

1795, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of soybean was in 1795

Phrases Containing soybean

Rhymes for soybean

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Browse Nearby Words

soyate
soybean
soybean cyst nematode
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Cite this Entry

“Soybean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soybean. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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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

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about soybean

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