What does "lima" mean?
Lima bean.
Lima
/ˈlaɪmə/ name, noun
name, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Lima bean.
- Grammar: lima is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: bean, chartreuse, city, edible bean.
- Useful contrasts: brown, countryside, foreign.
- Usage evidence: Green is the color of lima beans.
How to use "lima"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "lima" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "lima" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "lima" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "lima" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "lima" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "bean" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "lima", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Lima bean.
"We had limas with dinner last night."
- 2 Alternative letter-case form of Lima from the NATO/ICAO Phonetic Alphabet. alt-of
Proper Noun
- 1 The capital city of Peru.
- 2 A province in Peru.
- 3 A number of places in the United States:; A township and village therein, in Adams County, Illinois.
- 4 A number of places in the United States:; A township in LaGrange County, Indiana.
- 5 A number of places in the United States:; A township in Washtenaw County, Michigan.
Show 12 more definitions
- 6 A number of places in the United States:; A township in Cass County, Minnesota.
- 7 A number of places in the United States:; A town in Beaverhead County, Montana.
- 8 A number of places in the United States:; A town and village therein, in Livingston County, New York.
- 9 A number of places in the United States:; A city, the county seat of Allen County, Ohio.
- 10 A number of places in the United States:; A former township in Licking County, Ohio, merged into Pataskala in 1996.
- 11 A number of places in the United States:; A town in Seminole County, Oklahoma.
- 12 A number of places in the United States:; A census-designated place in Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
- 13 A number of places in the United States:; A town in Grant County, Wisconsin.
- 14 A number of places in the United States:; A town and unincorporated community in Pepin County, Wisconsin.
- 15 A number of places in the United States:; A town in Rock County, Wisconsin.
- 16 A number of places in the United States:; A town in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin.
- 17 A locality in the Rural City of Benalla, north eastern Victoria, Australia.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Green is the color of lima beans."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "lima"?
Common synonyms include: bean, chartreuse, city, edible bean, green yellow, legume.
How do you use "lima" in a sentence?
Green is the color of lima beans.
How do you pronounce "lima"?
Pronounced /ˈlaɪmə/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Ellipsis of lima bean.
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Spanish Lima, in turn, borrowed from Classical Quechua Limaq (“the one who speaks”), cognate with modern Quechua rimaq, from the name of a sanctuary identified as the Huaca de Santa Ana. The variation of /r/ > /l/ is product of the former "coastal" variety of Quechua spoken around modern-day Lima. The drop of final /q/ could be attributed either to another characteristic of Coastal Quechua or to Spanish adaptation. Ultimately derived from rimay (“to speak”).