Definition

Noun: 1. A type of bean plant: A tropical American perennial bean plant (Phaseolus coccineus) known for its bright red flowers and edible seeds that are often mottled black and white. 2. The edible seed or pod of this plant: The long, green bean pods, typically sliced for cooking, or the beans themselves, used as a food.

Usage Examples

• As the plant:
• As the food:
• Referring to the pods:

Advanced Usage

• Culinary distinction: While the young pods are eaten as a green bean, the mature dried beans inside are also harvested and used similarly to other dried beans like kidney or pinto beans. The term can refer to either the fresh pod or the dried seed depending on context.
  • She grows scarlet runner beans for their ornamental flowers and for the dried beans she uses in winter soups.

Variants and Related Words

• Runner bean: A more general term for this type of climbing bean, which may have flowers of other colors (e.g., white).
• Phaseolus coccineus: The scientific (Latin) name for the scarlet runner bean plant.

Synonyms

• Runner bean (when context implies the scarlet-flowered variety)
• Multiflora bean (less common)

Notes on Different Meanings

The definition encompasses both the horticultural plant (an ornamental and food crop) and its culinary products (the pod and the seed). It is specifically noted as a favorite food bean in Great Britain.

Noun

1. long bean pods usually sliced into half-inch lengths; a favorite in Britain
2. tropical American bean with red flowers and mottled black beans similar to Phaseolus vulgaris but perennial; a preferred food bean in Great Britain