lens
The definition of a lens is a piece of glass or other hard clear material molded with one side flat and the other curved or both sides curved that forms an image by bringing together or spreading the light that passes through it.
(noun)- An example of lens is the clear pieces covering the eyes in eye glasses.
- An example of lens is what a camera uses to take photos.
See lens in Webster's New World College Dictionary
noun
- a piece of glass, or other transparent substance, with two curved surfaces, or one plane and one curved, regularly bringing together or spreading rays of light passing through it: a lens or combination of lenses is used in optical instruments, eyeglasses, etc. to form an image
- a combination of two or more such pieces
- any of various devices used to focus microwaves, electrons, or sound waves
- Anat. a transparent, biconvex body situated between the iris and the vitreous humor of the eye: it focuses upon the retina light rays entering the pupil
Origin: L, lentil: from the resemblance to the shape of a lentil
transitive verb
- to photograph
- to make a film of
See lens in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun pl. lens·es
- A ground or molded piece of glass, plastic, or other transparent material with opposite surfaces either or both of which are curved, by means of which light rays are refracted so that they converge or diverge to form an image.
- A combination of two or more such pieces, sometimes with other optical devices such as prisms, used to form an image for viewing or photographing. Also called compound lens.
- A device that causes radiation other than light to converge or diverge by an action analogous to that of an optical lens.
- A transparent, biconvex body of the eye between the iris and the vitreous humor that focuses light rays entering through the pupil to form an image on the retina.
Informal
Origin:
Origin: New Latin lēns
Origin: , from Latin, lentil (from the shape of a double convex lens)
.Related Forms:
- lensed adjective
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lens
Light rays converge, passing through a biconvex lens (top) and diverge, passing through a biconcave lens (bottom). The label f indicates the focal point.
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