Any of the large, shiny, dark brown seeds of the vine Entada phaseoloides (family Mimosaceae (Leguminosae)), native to the Old World tropics, which are sometimes carved into matchboxes.
Origin
Late 19th century.
Definition of matchbox bean in US English:
matchbox bean
noun
Australian
Any of the large, shiny, dark brown seeds of the vine Entada phaseoloides (family Mimosaceae (Leguminosae)), native to the Old World tropics, which are sometimes carved into matchboxes.