anamorphic lens

noun

, Movies, Optics.

1. a compound lens or system of lenses that compresses the camera image in the horizontal direction during filming, so that a wide-screen image can fit on the width of conventional 35-millimeter film.
2. a similar system used in projection that horizontally expands the compressed image back to its original wide-screen aspect ratio.

anamorphic lens

noun

1. a component in the optical system of a film projector for converting standard 35mm film images into wide-screen format

Word History and Origins

Origin of anamorphic lens¹

First recorded in 1950–55