lens

lens · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A piece of glass or other transparent substance with curved sides for concentrating or dispersing light rays, used singly or combined in optical instruments.

  2. 2.

    A contact lens; a thin curved piece of plastic placed directly on the eye to correct vision.

  3. 3.

    (anatomy) The transparent biconvex body in the eye that focuses light rays onto the retina.

  4. 4.

    (figurative) A way of looking at or understanding something; a perspective.

Forms

plural: lenses

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    through the lens of — from the perspective of
  • •
    camera lens — the optical device in a camera that focuses light
  • •
    contact lens — a corrective lens worn directly on the eye
  • •
    wide-angle lens — a lens that captures a wider field of view
  • •
    zoom lens — a lens with adjustable focal length

Related words

See also: camera, glasses, lenses, optics, vision
Synonyms: glass, optic

Etymology

From Latin lens ("lentil"), named for the resemblance of a double-convex lens to a lentil seed. The word was adopted into English in the 17th century as optical instruments became more sophisticated.