n.1. A variety of the common pea (Pisum sativum var. macrocarpon), having a soft pod that lacks the fibrous inner lining of the common pea. 2. The edible young flat pod of this plant.
[Perhaps so called because peas in general are a cool-weather crop and snow peas sown or planted in the first part of spring can be harvested early in the growing season.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices
Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:
Indo-European Roots
Semitic Roots
The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.
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