lens /lenz/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: 'lentil' ; because of its shape ]
1 . the part of a camera through which the light travels before it reaches the film:
a standard 50 mm lens
⇨ ↑ telephoto lens , ↑ wide-angle lens , ↑ zoom lens
2 . a piece of curved glass or plastic which makes things look bigger, smaller, or clearer when you look through it:
glasses with powerful lenses
the lens of the microscope
3 . the clear part inside your eye that ↑ focus es so you can see things clearly
4 . a ↑ contact lens