lens (l nz)n. pl. lens·es 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. A device that causes radiation other than light to converge or diverge by an action analogous to that of an optical lens. 4. 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. tr.v. lensed, lens·ing, lens·es Informal To make a photograph or movie of. [New Latin l  ns, from Latin, lentil (from the shape of a double convex lens).]lensed adj. |   Light rays converge, passing through a biconvex lens (top) and diverge, passing through a biconcave lens (bottom). The label f indicates the focal point. |
lens [lɛnz]
n
1. (Physics / General Physics) a piece of glass or other transparent material, used to converge or diverge transmitted light and form optical images
2. (Physics / General Physics) Also called compound lens a combination of such lenses for forming images or concentrating a beam of light
3. (Physics / General Physics) a device that diverges or converges a beam of electromagnetic radiation, sound, or particles See electron lens
4. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Anatomy) Anatomy See crystalline lens Related adjective lenticular
[from Latin lēns lentil, referring to the similarity of a lens to the shape of a lentil]
Lens [lenz (French) lɑ̃]
n
(Placename) an industrial town in N France, in the Pas de Calais department; badly damaged in both World Wars. Pop. (town): 35 278 (1990), with a conurbation of 323 174 (1990)
| lens (lnz) 1. A transparent structure behind the iris of the eye that focuses light entering the eye on the retina. 2. a. A piece of glass or plastic shaped so as to focus or spread light rays that pass through it, often for the purpose of forming an image. b. A combination of two or more such lenses, as in a camera or telescope. Also called compound lens. 3. A device that causes radiation to converge or diverge by an action analogous to that of an optical lens. The system of electric fields used to focus electron beams in electron microscopes is an example of a lens. |  left to right: biconcave, plano-concave, concavo-convex, biconvex, plano-convex, and convexo-concave lenses |
lens - From Latin for "lentil," because of the similarity in shape.
See also related terms for similarity.
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  lens - a transparent optical device used to converge or diverge transmitted light and to form imagesanastigmat - compound lens or lens system designed to be free of astigmatism and able to form approximately point images anastigmatic lens - a lens designed to correct astigmatism camera lens, optical lens - a lens that focuses the image in a camera compound lens - a lens system consisting of two or more lenses on the same axis optical condenser, condenser - lens used to concentrate light on an object contact lens, contact - a thin curved glass or plastic lens designed to fit over the cornea in order to correct vision or to deliver medication converging lens, convex lens - lens such that a beam of light passing through it is brought to a point or focus crown lens - a lens made of optical crown glass concave lens, diverging lens - a lens such that a parallel beam of light passing through it is caused to diverge or spread out field lens - the lens that is farthest from the eye in an optical device with more than one lens Fresnel lens - lens composed of a number of small lenses arranged to make a lightweight lens of large diameter and short focal length intraocular lens - an artificial lens that is implanted into the eye of someone to replace a damaged natural lens or someone who has had a cataract removed meniscus - (optics) a lens that is concave on one side and convex on the other eyeglass, monocle - lens for correcting defective vision in one eye; held in place by facial muscles object glass, object lens, objective lens, objective - the lens or system of lenses in a telescope or microscope that is nearest the object being viewed optical device - a device for producing or controlling light optical instrument - an instrument designed to aid vision |
| 2. | Lens - genus of small erect or climbing herbs with pinnate leaves and small inconspicuous white flowers and small flattened pods: lentils rosid dicot genus - a genus of dicotyledonous plants Papilionoideae, subfamily Papilionoideae - alternative name used in some classification systems for the family Papilionaceae | |
| 3. | lens - (metaphor) a channel through which something can be seen or understood; "the writer is the lens through which history can be seen" communication channel, channel, line - (often plural) a means of communication or access; "it must go through official channels"; "lines of communication were set up between the two firms" | |
| 4. |  lens - biconvex transparent body situated behind the iris in the eye; its role (along with the cornea) is to focuses light on the retinaorgan - a fully differentiated structural and functional unit in an animal that is specialized for some particular function lens cortex, cortex - the tissue that surrounds the lens nucleus lens capsule - a tenuous mesoblastic membrane surrounding the lens of the eye | |
| 5. |  lens - electronic equipment that uses a magnetic or electric field in order to focus a beam of electronselectronic equipment - equipment that involves the controlled conduction of electrons (especially in a gas or vacuum or semiconductor) |
lens noun
Related words
adjective lenticular
adjective lenticular
Translations
lens [lenz]
lens [ˈlɛnz] n [magnifying glass, telescope] → lentille f; [spectacles] → verre m; [camera] → objectif m (also contact lens) → lentille f
lens cap n → bouchon m d'objectif
lens hood n [camera] → pare-soleil m inv
lens cap n → bouchon m d'objectif
lens hood n [camera] → pare-soleil m inv
lens
lens:
n (Anat, Opt, Phot) → Linse f; (in spectacles) → Glas nt; (= camera part containing lens) → Objektiv nt; (= eyeglass) → Klemmlupe f; (for stamps etc) → Vergrößerungsglas nt, → Lupe f
lens:
lens cap
n → Schutzkappe f
lens hood
n → Sonnenblende f, → Gegenlichtblende f
n lens [lenz]
1 a piece of glass etc curved on one or both sides and used in spectacles, microscopes, cameras etc I need new lenses in my spectacles; The camera lens is dirty. lens عَدَسَه леща sklo, čočka glas; linse; objektiv die Linse, die Gläser (pl.), das Objektiv φακός lente, objetivo lääts عدسی؛ لنز linssi verre, lentille עֲדָשָׁה ताल leća lencse lensa linsa lente レンズ 렌즈 lęšis, stiklas lēca; objektīvs kanta lens linse, objektiv soczewka, obiektyw lente lentilă линза šošovka leča sočivo lins, objektiv เลนส์ mercek, büyüteç, objektif 透鏡 лінза; оптичне скло عدسہ thấu kính 透镜
2 a similar part of the eye The disease has affected the lens of his left eye. lens عَدَسَة العَيْن леща čočka linse die Linse κρυσταλλοειδής φακός του ματιού cristalino lääts عدسی linssi cristallin עֲדָשָׁה आंख का ताल leća (szem)lencse lensa mata augasteinn cristallino 水晶体 안구의 수정체 lęšiukas (acs) lēca kanta ooglens linse soczewka cristalino cristalin хрусталик глаза šošovka leča sočivo lins เลนส์ตา göz merceği 晶狀體 кришталик ока آنکھوں کا عدسہ thủy tinh thể 晶［状］体
lens is singular; the plural is lenses .
lens → عدسة čočka linse Linse φακός lente linssi lentille leća lente レンズ 렌즈 lens linse soczewka lente линза lins เลนส์ตา lens ống kính 镜头
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