soya-bean

A farmer harvests ripe soya-beans from a field.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A leguminous plant: "soya-bean" refers to a plant (Glycine max) native to East Asia, cultivated for its edible seeds. It is a key source of protein and oil.
   • The seed of this plant: "soya-bean" also denotes the seed itself, which is used to produce various food products like tofu, soy milk, and soy sauce.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Farmers in many parts of the world now grow soya-bean as a cash crop. (The plant is cultivated for its seeds.)
  • Soya-bean is a common ingredient in vegetarian diets because of its high protein content. (The seed is used as food.)

Advanced Usage

• "soya-bean oil": oil extracted from soya-bean seeds, used in cooking and industrial applications.

  • Soya-bean oil is often used in salad dressings and for frying. (The oil derived from the seeds.)

• "soya-bean meal": the residue left after oil extraction, used as animal feed.

  • Soya-bean meal is a valuable protein supplement for livestock. (The byproduct of oil production.)

Variants and Related Words

• Soya (n): a common abbreviation for soya-bean, especially in British English.

  • Soya is widely used in processed foods. (The same plant or seed.)

• Soybean (n): the American English spelling of soya-bean.

  • Soybean farming is a major industry in the United States. (Same plant, different orthography.)

Synonyms

• Soy: a short form of soya-bean, often used in compound words like "soy sauce".
• Edamame: young, green soya-beans, often steamed and served as a snack.

Phrasal Verbs

• None directly associated with "soya-bean" as a noun.

Related Idioms

• None directly associated with "soya-bean".