Judéa

Judía is a Spanish term with several distinct meanings. In its most common sense it is the feminine form of judío, used to refer to a woman who is Jewish or who practices Judaism, and to describe things related to Jewish culture, religion, or identity. The word can appear in neutral or descriptive phrases such as comunidad judía (Jewish community) or religión judía (Judaism). Depending on context and tone, it can be respectful or carry pejorative connotations if used as an insult.

In gastronomy, judía denotes a legume or a type of bean. It refers to the edible bean of the species Phaseolus vulgaris and is used in various regional cuisines to name dried beans as well as green beans in some dialects. Regional usage varies: in Spain, judía commonly designates beans (alubias) and, when appropriate, green beans (judías verdes); in many Latin American countries other terms such as frijol, habichuela, poroto, or porotillo may be preferred for dried beans, while judía can appear in specific culinary contexts.

Etymology and grammar: judía derives from the Latin Judaeus via Old Spanish, with feminine agreement marking gender as a descriptor or noun. It accompanies feminine nouns (e.g., mujer judía) and genders the associated adjectives or phrases accordingly.

See also: Judaism, Jewish people, bean varieties. Note that the term’s reception can depend on regional and social context; when referring to people, respectful usage is important, and in culinary writing it functions as a regional label for certain beans or bean preparations.