Cicer arietinum, commonly known as chickpea, garbanzo bean, or Bengal gram, is a legume in the Fabaceae family. The genus name Cicer comes from the Latin word for chickpea, itself linked to the Indo-European root kik-, referring to legumes. The species epithet arietinum means “ram-like,” from Latin aries (ram), referring to the seed’s shape resembling a ram’s head. It is native to the Fertile Crescent (Anatolia and the Levant), where it was first domesticated around 7,000–8,000 years ago, making it one of the earliest cultivated legumes. Today, it is grown extensively in South Asia, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, East Africa, and the Americas, with India being the largest producer.

Chickpeas have historically been a staple food source due to their high protein and carbohydrate content. They exist in two main types: Desi (small, darker seeds with rough coats, traditional in South Asia and East Africa) and Kabuli (larger, cream-colored seeds, traditional in the Mediterranean and Near East). Chickpeas are used in countless preparations, from hummus and falafel in the Middle East, to chana masala in India, to flour for breads and batters. Their versatility has made them central to vegetarian diets and subsistence farming.