Pea, n.; pl.Peas (pēz) or Pease (pēz). [OE. pese, fr. AS. pisa, or OF. peis, F. pois; both fr. L. pisum; cf. Gr. πίσοσ, πίσον. The final s was misunderstood in English as a plural ending. Cf. Pease.] 1. (Bot.) A plant, and its fruit, of the genus Pisum, of many varieties, much cultivated for food. It has a papilionaceous flower, and the pericarp is a legume, popularly called a pod.
☞ When a definite number, more than one, is spoken of, the plural form peas is used; as, the pod contained nine peas; but, in a collective sense, the form pease is preferred; as, a bushel of pease; they had pease at dinner. This distinction is not always preserved, the form peas being used in both senses.
2. A name given, especially in the Southern States, to the seed of several leguminous plants (species of Dolichos, Cicer, Abrus, etc.) esp. those having a scar (hilum) of a different color from the rest of the seed.
☞ The name pea is given to many leguminous plants more or less closely related to the common pea. See the Phrases, below.
Beach pea(Bot.), a seashore plant, Lathyrus maritimus. — Black-eyed pea, a West Indian name for Dolichos sphærospermus and its seed. — Butterfly pea, the American plant Clitoria Mariana, having showy blossoms. — Chick pea. See Chick-pea. — Egyptian pea. Same as Chick-pea. — Everlasting pea. See under Everlasting. — Glory pea. See under Glory, n. — Hoary pea, any plant of the genus Tephrosia; goat's rue. — Issue pea, Orris pea. (Med.) See under Issue, and Orris. — Milk pea. (Bot.) See under Milk. — Pea berry, a kind of a coffee bean or grain which grows single, and is round or pea-shaped; often used adjectively; as, pea-berry coffee. — Pea bug. (Zoöl.) Same as Pea weevil. — Pea coal, a size of coal smaller than nut coal. — Pea crab(Zoöl.), any small crab of the genus Pinnotheres, living as a commensal in bivalves; esp., the European species (P. pisum) which lives in the common mussel and the cockle. — Pea dove(Zoöl.), the American ground dove. — Pea-flower tribe(Bot.), a suborder (Papilionaceæ) of leguminous plants having blossoms essentially like that of the pea. G. Bentham. — Pea maggot(Zoöl.), the larva of a European moth (Tortrix pisi), which is very destructive to peas. — Pea ore(Min.), argillaceous oxide of iron, occurring in round grains of a size of a pea; pisolitic ore. — Pea starch, the starch or flour of the common pea, which is sometimes used in adulterating wheat flour, pepper, etc. — Pea tree(Bot.), the name of several leguminous shrubs of the genus Caragana, natives of Siberia and China. — Pea vine. (Bot.) (a) Any plant which bears peas. (b) A kind of vetch or tare, common in the United States (Lathyrus Americana, and other similar species). — Pea weevil(Zoöl.), a small weevil (Bruchus pisi) which destroys peas by eating out the interior. — Pigeon pea. (Bot.) See Pigeon pea. — Sweet pea(Bot.), the annual plant Lathyrus odoratus; also, its many-colored, sweet-scented blossoms.