Leg"ume (?), n. [F. l'egume, L. legumen, fr. legere to gather. So called because they may be gathered without cutting. See Legend.]
1. Bot.
A pod dehiscent into two pieces or valves, and having the seed attached at one suture, as that of the pea.
⇒ In the latter circumstance, it differs from a siliqua, in which the seeds are attached to both sutures. In popular use, a legume is called a pod, or cod; as, pea pod, or peas cod.
2. pl.
The fruit of leguminous plants, as peas, beans, lupines; pulse.
© Webster 1913.