lens

[ lenz ]

noun

, plural lens·es.

1. a piece of transparent substance, usually glass, having two opposite surfaces either both curved or one curved and one plane, used in an optical device in changing the convergence of light rays, as for magnification, or in correcting defects of vision.
2. a combination of such pieces.
3. some analogous device, as for affecting sound waves, electromagnetic radiation, or streams of electrons.
4. Anatomy. crystalline lens.
5. Geology. a body of rock or ore that is thick in the middle and thinner toward the edges, similar in shape to a biconvex lens.

verb (used with object)

1. Movies. to film (a motion picture).

Lens

¹

/ lɑ̃; lenz /

noun

1. an industrial town in N France, in the Pas de Calais department; badly damaged in both World Wars. Pop: 36 206 (1999)

lens

²

/ lɛnz /

noun

1. a piece of glass or other transparent material, used to converge or diverge transmitted light and form optical images
2. Also calledcompound lens a combination of such lenses for forming images or concentrating a beam of light
3. See electron lens
   a device that diverges or converges a beam of electromagnetic radiation, sound, or particles See electron lens
4. See crystalline lens
   anatomy See crystalline lens

lens

/ lĕnz /

1. A transparent structure behind the iris of the eye that focuses light entering the eye on the retina.
2. 1. A piece of glass or plastic shaped so as to focus or spread light rays that pass through it, often for the purpose of forming an image.
   2. A combination of two or more such lenses, as in a camera or telescope.
3. A device that causes radiation to converge or diverge by an action analogous to that of an optical lens. The system of electric fields used to focus electron beams in electron microscopes is an example of a lens.

lens

¹

1. A clear, almost spherical structure located just behind the pupil of the eye . The lens focuses waves of light on the retina .

lens

²

1. A piece of transparent material, such as glass, that forms an image from the rays of light passing through it. ( See focal length , refraction , and telescope .)

Other Words From

• lensless adjective
• lenslike adjective
• un·lensed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of lens¹

First recorded in 1685–95; from New Latin, special use of Latin lēns “a lentil” (from its shape); lentil

Word History and Origins

Origin of lens¹

C17: from Latin lēns lentil, referring to the similarity of a lens to the shape of a lentil

Example Sentences

Instead, we have to see this sort of behavior in humans through an entirely different lens, that recognizes how important our cultural systems are in determining what we do as men and women, boys and girls.

From Nautilus

That’s a slight downgrade from the similar lens in the S20 Ultra, which had 10X and 100X zooming capabilities.

From Fortune

Companies are having to rethink every aspect of the business through this new lens of rising costs and the on-location experience not being what it was just a few months ago.

From Search Engine Watch

Each card gives the reader a different lens on the election.

From FiveThirtyEight

For Americans, that might mean that questions of whether to stay home, wear a mask or to see friends and family without social distancing are filtered through a partisan lens.

From FiveThirtyEight

It reminded me a bit of an alternative take on The Wolf of Wall Street—through the Toni and Candace lens.

From The Daily Beast

And he said, I know you see this crisis through a very personal lens.

From The Daily Beast

The camera dollied backward along the length of the tower's staircase while simultaneously its lens zoomed forward.

From The Daily Beast

I see my personal experiences as a lens to look at something much bigger.

From The Daily Beast

They, like Klain, deserve to be seen through a historical lens before we rush to judgment.

From The Daily Beast

Go carefully over the film with an oil-immersion lens, using a mechanical stage if available.

From Project Gutenberg

Still kneeling, he drew from his waistcoat pocket a powerful lens contained in a washleather bag.

From Project Gutenberg

By far the greatest of these scientific inventions are those which depend upon the lens.

From Project Gutenberg

It was a little longer than the usual three cell case, and there was a finely ground lens at the end.

From Project Gutenberg

He removed his glasses and wiped them slowly and carefully, polishing each lens with meticulous care.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• glass