any of a large family of plants, shrubs, and trees having pods containing seeds and root nodules containing nitrogen-fixing bacteria and including important food and forage plants, e.g. peas, beans, or clovers: family Leguminosae
the usu edible pod or seed of such a plant
leguminous /liʹgyoohminəs/ adj
[French légume from Latin legumin-, legumen leguminous plant, from legere to gather]