Green Beans: Meaning and Usage

Meaning 1：Green beans (Green Beans)

Green Beans 🔊

/ɡriːn biːnz/

n. ph.

A long, green vegetable that we eat, usually cooked. It is the pod that contains the beans.

Green beans 🔊

➕

/ɡriːn biːnz/

n. ph.

A long, thin green vegetable that is the edible pod of the bean plant, usually cooked before eating.

📁 Category：Diet & Health 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Green refers to the color; beans from Old English 'bēan' meaning legume or seed pod.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine snapping a fresh green bean and hearing the crisp sound to recall its crunchy texture.

📖 Example

I'm picking out some fresh green beans at the market to steam for dinner tonight. 🔊 I'm picking out some fresh green beans at the market to steam for dinner tonight.

🔗 Collocations

steam green beans – to cook green beans by steaming

green bean casserole – a dish made with green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and fried onions

fresh green beans – green beans that have not been processed or preserved

🔄 Synonyms

string beans (n. pl.) – another name for green beans, referring to the string along the pod

snap beans (n. pl.) – green beans that break with a snapping sound when fresh

📖 Cultural Story

Green beans originated in Central and South America and were cultivated by indigenous peoples. They are now a staple in many cuisines worldwide, often steamed or stir-fried.