bean
UK: biːn | US: biːn
n. 1. The edible seed of certain leguminous plants, typically oval or kidney-shaped and used as food.
n. 2. (informal) A person’s head, often humorously or affectionately.
n. 3. (slang) A small amount of money.
The word "bean" traces back to Old English bēan, which referred broadly to the seeds of leguminous plants. Its Proto-Germanic root baunō and Proto-Indo-European bhabh- (meaning "swelling" or "pod") highlight the seed’s rounded shape. Unlike many modern English words, "bean" has remained morphologically simple, resisting further division into prefixes or suffixes. Its semantic expansion to slang terms (e.g., "use your bean") reflects cultural associations with the seed’s compact, rounded form.
She added a cup of black beans to the soup for extra protein.
(Humorous) "Oops, I bumped my bean on the low doorway!"
He doesn’t have a bean to his name after the trip.
The recipe calls for soaked kidney beans.
"Use your bean!" she teased when he forgot his keys.