pea: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1neutral
Quick answer
What does “pea” mean?
A small round green seed eaten as a vegetable, typically from a leguminous plant.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A small round green seed eaten as a vegetable, typically from a leguminous plant.
The plant producing these seeds; also used in compounds (e.g., sweet pea, chickpea) or metaphorically for small, round objects.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major lexical differences. Both use 'pea' identically.
Connotations
Equally neutral in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally common.
Grammar
How to Use “pea” in a Sentence
N of peasADJ peapea NVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “pea” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- pea-green colour
- pea-sized tumour
American English
- pea-green paint
- pea-sized hole
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in agricultural trade (e.g., 'pea harvest', 'export of frozen peas').
Academic
In botany/agriculture contexts (e.g., 'Pisum sativum').
Everyday
Common in cooking/gardening contexts (e.g., 'Add the peas to the pan.').
Technical
In genetics (e.g., 'Mendel's pea experiments').
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “pea”
- Using 'pea' as a plural (*'three pea') instead of 'peas'. Using 'peas' as singular (*'a peas').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Historically, the word was 'pease' (singular and plural). Later, 'pease' was mistaken for a plural, and the new singular 'pea' was formed by back-formation.
No, 'pea' is not used as a verb in standard modern English.
'Garden peas' are the edible vegetable. 'Sweet peas' are a closely related flowering plant grown for ornament, not for eating.
Yes, but it usually refers to a single seed (e.g., 'There's a pea on the floor'), not as a portion of food, where the plural 'peas' is standard.
A small round green seed eaten as a vegetable, typically from a leguminous plant.
Pea is usually neutral in register.
Pea: in British English it is pronounced /piː/, and in American English it is pronounced /piː/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “like two peas in a pod”
- “pea soup (fog)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
PEA and SEA rhyme – both are 'green' in colour (sea green, pea green).
Conceptual Metaphor
SMALLNESS/ROUNDNESS: 'pea-sized hail', 'pea brain' (implying smallness, insignificance).
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase uses 'pea' metaphorically?