1. Plural of benne; sesame seeds or the sesame plant, especially as used in African and African-American cuisine.
Usage: chiefly Southern U.S.; also spelled 'benne seed'; from Bantu languages

Examples

• Bennes are a traditional ingredient in Lowcountry cooking.
• The recipe calls for roasted bennes sprinkled on top of the bread.
• Benne seeds have been cultivated in the American South for centuries.
• She ground the bennes into a paste for the sauce.
• Bennes appear frequently in West African and African-American culinary traditions.