LENS


Meaning of LENS in English

I. ˈlenz noun

Etymology: New Latin lent-, lens, from Latin, lentil; from its shape

Date: 1673

1.

a. : a piece of transparent material (as glass) that has two opposite regular surfaces either both curved or one curved and the other plane and that is used either singly or combined in an optical instrument for forming an image by focusing rays of light

b. : a combination of two or more simple lenses

c. : a piece of glass or plastic used (as in safety goggles or sunglasses) to protect the eye

2. : a device for directing or focusing radiation other than light (as sound waves, radio microwaves, or electrons)

3. : something shaped like a biconvex optical lens

lens of sandstone

4. : a highly transparent biconvex lens-shaped or nearly spherical body in the eye that focuses light rays (as upon the retina) — see eye illustration

5. : something that facilitates and influences perception, comprehension, or evaluation

viewing the current legal battle…through partisan lens es — New Republic

6. : gravitational lens

• lensed ˈlenzd adjective

• lens·less ˈlenz-ləs adjective

II. transitive verb

Date: 1942

: to make a motion picture of : film

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.