[le.gume] n [F legume, fr. L legumin-, legumen leguminous plant, fr. legere to gather--more at legend] (1676) 1 a: the fruit or seed of leguminous plants (as peas or beans) used for food b: a vegetable used for food
2: any of a large family (Leguminosae syn. Fabaceae) of dicotyledonous herbs, shrubs, and trees having fruits that are legumes (sense 3) or loments, bearing nodules on the roots that contain nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and including important food and forage plants (as peas, beans, or clovers)
3: a dry dehiscent one-celled fruit developed from a simple superior ovary and usu. dehiscing into two valves with the seeds attached to the ventral suture: pod