The Collaborative International Dictionary
Chick-pea \Chick"-pea`\ (-p[=e]`), n. [See Chich.]
(Bot.) A Small leguminous plant ( Cicer arietinum) of Asia, Africa, and the south of Europe; the chich; the dwarf pea; the gram.
Its nutritious seed, used in cookery, and especially, when roasted (parched pulse), as food for travelers in the Eastern deserts.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1712, false singular back-formation from chich-pease (1540s), from French pois chiche, from Latin cicer "pea," which is of uncertain origin, but with likely cognates in Greek kikerroi "pale," Armenian sisern "chick-pea," Albanian thjer "lentil." For second element, see pease. The Latin plural, cicera, is also the source of Italian cece and was borrowed into Old High German as chihhra (German Kichererbse).
Usage examples of "chick-pea".
You've probably got the whole damned plane filled with chick-peas already.
Chick-peas rolled hazardously beneath their feet, and loosened bamboo matting hung from the walls like the baggy folds of elephants.
Watching Susan eat the lentil and chick-pea salad, the lebne and string cheese, and then medallions of lamb with peppered rice and asparagus, I grew to hate her for all she had that I did not.