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.

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