Definition

Noun: 1. A type of bean plant: A sprawling annual plant (Vigna unguiculata) originally from the Old World, cultivated in warm regions, especially the southern United States, for its edible seeds, as forage for livestock, and as green manure to improve soil. 2. The edible seed of this plant: The bean itself, which can be eaten fresh in the pod (as a shell bean) or dried for storage and later use.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Farmers in the region often plant cowpea to enrich the soil with nitrogen.
  • The dried cowpeas were soaked overnight before being cooked.
  • This soup is made with black-eyed peas, a common variety of cowpea.

Advanced Usage

• As a cover crop: Cowpea is valued in sustainable agriculture as a cover crop that suppresses weeds and fixes nitrogen in the soil.
  • After harvesting the wheat, they sowed cowpea as a cover crop.

Variants and Related Words

• Black-eyed pea: A well-known cultivar of cowpea, characterized by a black spot on the bean.
• Southern pea: Another common name for cowpea, especially in the southeastern United States.
• Vigna unguiculata: The scientific (Latin) name for the cowpea species.

Synonyms

• Black-eyed pea (for a specific variety)
• Southern pea
• Field pea (in some contexts, though this can refer to other species)

Related Phrases

• Cowpea plant: Refers specifically to the growing plant itself.
  • The cowpea plant is drought-tolerant.
• Cowpea seed: Refers specifically to the bean used for planting or eating.
  • She bought a bag of cowpea seeds for her garden.

Noun

1. eaten fresh as shell beans or dried
2. sprawling Old World annual cultivated especially in southern United States for food and forage and green manure
3. fruit or seed of the cowpea plant