lentil

American  

[len-til, -tl] / ˈlɛn tɪl, -tl /

noun

1. a plant, Lens culinaris, of the legume family, having flattened, biconvex seeds used as food.

2. the seed itself.

---

lentil British  

/ ˈlɛntɪl /

noun

1. a small annual leguminous plant, Lens culinaris, of the Mediterranean region and W Asia, having edible brownish convex seeds

2. any of the seeds of this plant, which are cooked and eaten as a vegetable, in soups, etc

---

Etymology

Origin of lentil

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English, from Old French lentille, from Vulgar Latin lentīcula (unrecorded), from Latin lenticula; lenticle

Example Sentences

Koshary, the spicy dish of lentils, rice, and pasta available at countless Egyptian food stalls, was also added to the list of intangible cultural heritage.

From BBC

She used it to buy basics like rice, lentils and pasta.

From BBC

Take care when combining the rice, lentils and pasta: The mix should be loose and textured, not mushy.

From The Wall Street Journal

Because these lentils have been shaped for centuries to thrive in hot, dry conditions, they could become an important resource for breeding crops that can cope with ongoing climate change.

From Science Daily

"We are mostly confined to cooking just three types of meals in a week: rice, pasta and lentils," Mr Matar says.

From BBC