noun
lupin
LOO-pihn
noun
1
A tall garden plant with dense spikes of colourful flowers, in the pea family.
"Rows of purple and pink lupins lined the cottage garden."
2
The edible bean-like seed of certain lupin plants, eaten as a snack in some Mediterranean and Latin American countries.
"Salted lupin beans are a popular bar snack in parts of Italy."
How to Use Lupin
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA tall flowering garden plant, or the edible seed of some varieties of it.
Common mistake
Raw or improperly prepared lupin beans can be toxic — they need to be soaked and processed before eating.
Word Forms
lupins plural
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Rows of purple and pink _____ lined the cottage garden.
Etymology
From Latin lupinus ("of the wolf"), possibly because the plant was thought to "wolf" nutrients from the soil, or because of the fang-like shape inside its flower.