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• lens
  lens

  noun

  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.
• Lens
  Lens

  noun

  an industrial town in N France, in the Pas de Calais department; badly damaged in both World Wars. Pop: 36 206 (1999)

lens

American  

[lenz] / lɛnz /

noun

lenses plural

1. 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.

2. a combination of such pieces.

3. some analogous device, as for affecting sound waves, electromagnetic radiation, or streams of electrons.

4. Anatomy. crystalline lens.

5. 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.

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verb (used with object)

1. Movies. to film (a motion picture).

Lens ¹ British  

/ lɑ̃, lenz /

noun

1. an industrial town in N France, in the Pas de Calais department; badly damaged in both World Wars. Pop: 36 206 (1999)

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lens ² British  

/ lɛnz /

noun

1. a piece of glass or other transparent material, used to converge or diverge transmitted light and form optical images

2. Also called: compound lens.  a combination of such lenses for forming images or concentrating a beam of light

3. a device that diverges or converges a beam of electromagnetic radiation, sound, or particles See electron lens

4. anatomy See crystalline lens

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lens Scientific  

/ lĕnz /

1. A transparent structure behind the iris of the eye that focuses light entering the eye on the retina.

2. 1. 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.

   2. A combination of two or more such lenses, as in a camera or telescope.

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.

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lens ¹ Cultural  

1. A piece of transparent material, such as glass, that forms an image from the rays of light passing through it. (See focal length, refraction, and telescope.)

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lens ² Cultural  

1. A clear, almost spherical structure located just behind the pupil of the eye. The lens focuses waves of light on the retina.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• lensless
  adjective
• lenslike
  adjective
• unlensed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• lenses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of lens

First recorded in 1685–95; from New Latin, special use of Latin lēns “a lentil” (from its shape); see lentil

Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lens Lens lenses

Pulling back the lens, here’s where things stood for the year to date through July 13:

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

Powerful Pakistani army chief Asim Munir's rapport with Trump has elevated Islamabad's influence in a bilateral relationship long focused through a security lens.

From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026

Investors have learned to view such episodes through a single lens — namely, which companies can pass higher costs through to customers and which cannot, Almeida told MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 12, 2026

Understanding anatomy through this evolutionary lens can also help us reframe how we see common medical problems.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026

My eyes—something between Mom's and Dad's—are staring past the lens and straight into Jamie's soul.

From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Crystal Palace have appointed Lens manager Pierre Sage as their head coach on a three-year contract.

From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026

Lens averaged 51.9% possession in 2025-26 - but their game was less about long spells on the ball and more about what happened the moment they won it back.

From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026

Sage's Lens side were built on aggressive pressing and a willingness to attack quickly once they won the ball back.

From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026

Lens, like Chelsea in the Club World Cup, used central midfielders close to each other.

From BBC ● May 30, 2026

The continued expense of an artist—though, at first, I employed my friend, Lens Aldons—to copy the pictures on the screen was out of the question.

From The Evolution of Photography With a Chronological Record of Discoveries, Inventions, etc., Contributions to Photographic Literature, and Personal Reminescences Extending over Forty Years by Werge, John

The back of the store sells color contact lenses and viral Korean snacks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026

The lenses for the glasses come from China, while the frames are made in India from metal wire and assembled in about 10 minutes.

From Barron's ● May 27, 2026

"Think of photochromic sunglasses. When you're inside, they're just clear lenses. You walk out into the sun, and they darken on their own. Come back inside, and the lenses become clear again," Nguyen continued.

From Science Daily ● May 15, 2026

The technician said they weren't charged or recording, and that she needed to wear them for the prescription lenses.

From BBC ● May 13, 2026

These contact lenses are going to take some getting used to.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu

Related Words

• glass