Chickpeas

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A variety of legume with a firm texture, often used in salads, stews, and dips, that is appreciated for its high protein content and nutritional benefits
2. These small, beige seeds belong to the pulse family and are versatile in culinary applications, recognized for their healthful properties and ability to be included in many recipes
3. A pod legume known for its round, beige seeds commonly incorporated in various traditional dishes worldwide

Etymology: "Chickpeas" is the plural of "chickpea," and the word is a calque, a translation built from parts of another language rather than borrowed whole. The French "pois chiche" combines "pois," meaning "pea," with "chiche," which passed into French from Old French "cice." That Old French word goes back to Latin "cicer," the name of the same legume, so the English word is a piece-for-piece copy of the French one. The thread of the story runs back to Rome. "Cicer" is the source of the family name Cicero, and a Roman tradition holds that an ancestor of the orator was named for a wart or mark on his face shaped like a chickpea. That tale is ancient and not reliably documented, so treat it as legend rather than fact.

Synonyms: garbanzo beans, legumes