lens

1 of 2

noun

ˈlenz 

1

a

: a piece of transparent material (such 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 (such 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 lenses

—New Republic

6

: gravitational lens

lensed

ˈlenzd 

adjective

lensless

ˈlenz-ləs 

adjective

lens

2 of 2

verb

lensed; lensing; lenses

transitive verb

: to make a motion picture of : film

Examples of lens in a Sentence

Noun

Make sure the lens of the microscope is clean.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The front module is also home to a camera with a wide-angle Yashica lens and Sony image sensor. —Paul Ridden, New Atlas, 13 Dec. 2024

Every Friday, our resident witch Roya Backlund will answer your most vulnerable conundrums through the lens of astrology, Tarot, and spirituality. —Roya Backlund, StyleCaster, 13 Dec. 2024

Verb

The film will lens in January in the UK and hit theaters on June 26, 2026. —Justin Kroll, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2024

Shooting locations have yet to be revealed but it is expected to lens in London. —Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 3 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

First Known Use

Noun

1673, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1942, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing lens

• achromatic lens
• contact lens
• converging lens
• crystalline lens
• eye lens
• field lens
• fish-eye lens
• Fresnel lens
• gravitational lens
• hand lens
• macro lens
• objective lens
• single-lens reflex
• telephoto lens
• wide-angle lens
• zoom lens

Kids Definition

lens

noun

ˈlenz

1

a

: a clear curved piece of material (as glass) used to bend rays of light to form an image especially to correct vision or magnify an object

b

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

2

: a clear part of the eye that focuses rays of light so as to form an image (as upon the retina)

Medical Definition

lens

noun

variants also lense

ˈlenz 

1

: a curved piece of glass or plastic used singly or combined in eyeglasses or an optical instrument (as a microscope) for forming an image by focusing rays of light

2

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

3

: a highly transparent biconvex lens-shaped or nearly spherical body in the eye that focuses light rays entering the eye typically onto the retina, lies immediately behind the pupil, is made up of slender curved rod-shaped ectodermal cells in concentric lamellae surrounded by a tenuous mesoblastic capsule, and alters its focal length by becoming more or less spherical in response to the action of the ciliary muscle on a peripheral suspensory ligament

lensed adjective

lensless adjective

Geographical Definition

Lens

geographical name

ˈläⁿs 

commune in northern France southwest of Lille population 35,032