ˈbutter-bean
A variety of the French bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, with almost white pods, or the dried seeds of the Lima bean, P. limensis.
| 1819 W. Cobbett Amer. Gardener (1821) iv. §197 The Lima-bean..is sometimes called the butter-bean. 1884 Miller Plant-n. s.v. Bean, Butter Bean, a tender-podded variety of Phaseolus vulgaris. 1906 Macmillan's Mag. July 676 Butterbeans somewhat resemble white fish in colour and the task of turning out a butter-bean fritter..to look like a fried sole would not be a difficult one. 1951 Dict. Gardening (R. Hort. Soc.) I. 244/1 Pods without green colouring{ddd}are known as waxpod or Butter Beans, but they are not to be confused with the Butter Beans of the grocer. Ibid. 244/2 The seeds [of Lima Beans] vary considerably in colour and size, the white varieties being best for use as dry seeds, constituting the Butter Beans of the grocer. |