lenses
|len-ses|
/ˈlɛnzɪz/
(lens)
focus light
Etymology
'lens' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'lens' (genitive 'lentis'), where the word meant 'lentil' (the shape).
'lens' changed from the Latin word 'lens, lentis' meaning 'lentil' and was applied in Late Latin/Neo-Latin to refer to a lentil-shaped piece of glass; it entered English (modern form) as 'lens' in the 17th century in the context of optics.
Initially it meant 'lentil' (the seed), but over time it evolved into the modern meaning 'a curved piece of transparent material that focuses or alters light' by analogy with the lentil's shape.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a piece of glass or other transparent material, often curved, used in eyeglasses, cameras, microscopes, or telescopes to focus or refract light.
The camera comes with two interchangeable lenses for wide and telephoto shots.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the transparent structure inside the eye that helps to focus light on the retina (anatomical).
Aging can make the lenses of the eyes less flexible, causing difficulty focusing.
Synonyms
Noun 3
a way of looking at something; a particular perspective or viewpoint (used metaphorically).
We should consider the issue through multiple lenses before making a decision.
Synonyms
Verb 1
third-person singular present form of the verb 'lens' (to fit with a lens, to photograph with a lens, or to look through a lens).
She lenses each specimen carefully before taking a photograph.
Synonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/09/22 02:15