any of several mostly climbing plants belonging to the genus Vicia, of the legume family, having pinnate leaves ending in tendrils and bearing pealike flowers, esp. V. sativa(spring vetch), cultivated for forage and soil improvement
any of various allied plants, as Lathyrus sativus, of Europe, cultivated for their edible seeds and for forage
the beanlike seed or fruit of any such plant
any of a genus (Vicia) of herbaceous twining leguminous plants including some grown for fodder and green manure compare crown vetch hairy vetch milk vetch