a piece of transparent substance, usually glass, having two opposite surfaces either both curved or one curved and one plane, used in an optical device in changing the convergence of light rays, as for magnification, or in correcting defects of vision.
a combination of such pieces.
some analogous device, as for affecting sound waves, electromagnetic radiation, or streams of electrons.
Anatomy. crystalline lens.
Geology. a body of rock or ore that is thick in the middle and thinner toward the edges, similar in shape to a biconvex lens.
a piece of glass or other transparent material, used to converge or diverge transmitted light and form optical images
Also called: compound lens. a combination of such lenses for forming images or concentrating a beam of light
a device that diverges or converges a beam of electromagnetic radiation, sound, or particles See electron lens
anatomy See crystalline lens
A transparent structure behind the iris of the eye that focuses light entering the eye on the retina.
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.
A combination of two or more such lenses, as in a camera or telescope.
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.
First recorded in 1685–95; from New Latin, special use of Latin lēns “a lentil” (from its shape); see lentil
A lens is a curved transparent device that bends light, like the lens of eyeglasses or a contact lens you’ll need if the natural lens in your eye needs help. Cameras have a lens, too. Smile! In an eye, the lens — which is behind the iris — helps focus light on the retina so you can see. It's a lot like the lens in a telescope or camera, which also focuses light and helps form images. You can also use the word lens as a metaphor for how you see things. If you look at sports through the lens of medicine, you might study injuries to players. All these lenses help you see or perceive things.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I was looking at it purely through the lens of exposure—our portfolio was overly concentrated in large-cap, domestic stocks that have surged over the past several years—and so I needed to reduce risk.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
She points to Skunk Anansie's Skin, who was often portrayed through the lens of her appearance rather than her music.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
He captures their personality through a curiosity lens.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
Their lens finds people walking on their treadmills, talking on the phone, laughing with one another.
From Salon ● Sep. 21, 2026
I wish I had a wide-angle lens on my phone as I try to frame the mosque with light glinting off the minarets, and take a few videos instead.
From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan
The signing of Abdukodir Khusanov from Lens also provides intriguing insight into City's reliance on data.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
Last season, amateur side ES Nanterre, from the outskirts of Paris, won Championnat National Group B ahead of Champions League outfits Lens and Lille and second-tier clubs Reims, Bastia and Red Star.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
Bees fans will expect more of the same this season and an indication of their continued ambition was demonstrated with the club-record signing of Mali midfielder Mamadou Sangare from Lens.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
A last-gasp defeat by England in Lens momentarily punctured that optimism, but the final group game against Russia presented Coleman's side with a chance to secure their place in the knockout stages.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
Marlborough, therefore, in vain offered battle, and drew up his army in the plain of Lens for that purpose.
From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Vol. 60, No. 373, November 1846 by Various
For the new experiments, the researchers built specialized platinum "contact lenses" designed to act as molds for the desired corneal shape.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 29, 2026
Two months in, the rose-colored lenses are especially obfuscating.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 19, 2026
One of the nice things is, like Meta's Quest 3, it has flat "pancake" lenses allowing you to see clearly when you put the headset on.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
Homendy said most of the cargo on the plane was made up of contact lenses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
The rest of the walls are virtually painted by my lenses with ivory and shimmering gold.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
