butter bean
LowInformal, Culinary
Definition
Meaning
A large, flat, pale yellow or white bean, typically of the lima bean variety, often sold dried or canned.
Informally, can refer to a large, pale bean of any variety in certain regional dialects. Also used as a colloquial, affectionate term for something plump and pale.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a culinary term. In the UK, it often refers specifically to the dried, large, white runner bean or lima bean. In the US, it is more synonymous with the lima bean, especially the larger, pale variety.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'butter bean' is the common term for the large, white, dried bean used in stews. In the US, 'lima bean' is more common, with 'butter bean' often specifying the larger, paler, and less starchy variety.
Connotations
Neutral culinary term in both. In UK English, it has stronger association with hearty, home-cooked food like casseroles.
Frequency
More frequent in UK English as the default term. In US English, 'lima bean' is generally more frequent, with 'butter bean' used in specific culinary contexts or regions (e.g., the American South).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[verb] + butter beans: soak, drain, rinse, add, simmer, serveVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this specific term]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in food import/export or retail contexts.
Academic
Rare, except in botanical or agricultural studies.
Everyday
Common in cooking instructions, recipes, and grocery shopping.
Technical
Used in botany (Phaseolus lunatus) and culinary arts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- [No standard verb use]
American English
- [No standard verb use]
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverb use]
American English
- [No standard adverb use]
adjective
British English
- [No standard adjective use]
American English
- [No standard adjective use]
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I bought a tin of butter beans for the soup.
- Do you like butter beans?
- Soak the dried butter beans overnight before you cook them.
- The recipe calls for two cups of butter beans.
- The butter beans, having absorbed the flavours of the garlic and rosemary, were the highlight of the stew.
- He prefers the creamier texture of butter beans to that of kidney beans.
- A staple of the storecupboard, butter beans can be transformed with little more than good olive oil, lemon zest, and herbs.
- The chef's signature dish was a deconstructed cassoulet featuring confit duck and heirloom butter beans.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the pale, creamy colour and soft texture of BUTTER, applied to a BEAN.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOFTNESS/COLOUR IS BUTTER (The bean is named for its butter-like colour and texture when cooked).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as 'масляный боб'. The correct equivalent is 'лимская фасоль' (limskaya fasol) or the descriptive 'крупная белая фасоль' (krupnaya belaya fasol).
Common Mistakes
- Confusing it with other large beans like cannellini or broad beans. Using 'butter bean' to refer to green, fresh beans.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'butter bean' most frequently used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Essentially, yes. 'Butter bean' is often used for the larger, paler, and less starchy varieties of lima bean, particularly in the UK and the American South.
No, tinned (canned) butter beans are pre-cooked and ready to use. You only need to soak dried butter beans.
Cannellini beans or great northern beans are the closest substitutes in terms of size and texture.
The name comes from their buttery, creamy texture and pale yellow colour when cooked.