egyptian bean

2 definitions found

egyptian bean - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Egyptian \E*gyp"tian\, a. [L. Aegyptius, Gr. ?, fr. ? (L.
     Aegyptus) Egypt: cf. F. ['e]gyptien. Cf. Gypsy.]
     Pertaining to Egypt, in Africa.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Egyptian bean. (Bot.)
     (a) The beanlike fruit of an aquatic plant (Nelumbium   speciosum
         ), somewhat resembling the water lily.
     (b) See under Bean, 1.
  
     Egyptian cross. See Illust. (No. 6) of Cross.
  
     Egyptian thorn (Bot.), a medium-sized tree (Acacia vera).
        It is one of the chief sources of the best gum arabic.
        [1913 Webster]

egyptian bean - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Egyptian bean
      n 1: perennial twining vine of Old World tropics having
           trifoliate leaves and racemes of fragrant purple pea-like
           flowers followed by maroon pods of edible seeds; grown as
           an ornamental and as a vegetable on the Indian
           subcontinent; sometimes placed in genus Dolichos [syn:
           hyacinth bean, bonavist, Indian bean, Egyptian bean
           , Lablab purpureus, Dolichos lablab]