lentil

[len-til, -tl]

noun

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

Origin of lentil

1200–50; Middle English < Old French lentille < Vulgar Latin *lentīcula for Latin lenticula. See lenticle

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for lentil

Contemporary Examples of lentil

Tonight's dinner--lentil soup with ham--went in the slow cooker before work this morning.
Friday Forum: How often do you cook?
Megan McArdle
January 11, 2013
We have a rotating list of soups that we serve at François Payard Bakery, but my current favorite is the lentil.
Fresh Picks by François Payard
François Payard
March 3, 2011
If you can find it, opt for a soup with a legume base like lentil or black bean.
9 Unhealthiest Takeout Foods
Divya Gugnani
October 24, 2010
Depending upon how much lamb is included, the stew can be lentil with lamb or lamb with lentils.
What to Eat: One-Pot Meals for a Busy Holiday Season
Cookstr.com
December 15, 2009
Lentil and Feta Cheese Salad by Nava Atlas and Fran Bigelow A few bites to transport you to the Mediterranean.
What to Eat
Cookstr.com
July 14, 2009

Historical Examples of lentil

Next in usefulness to the haricot bean comes the German lentil.
New Vegetarian Dishes
Mrs. Bowdich
It spontaneously retracted into the lentil, like the horns of a snail.
New observations on the natural history of bees
Francis Huber
When they had lentil soup, how steaming and delicious it was!
Carl and the Cotton Gin
Sara Ware Bassett
Split peas, or "dal," as they are called in India, belong to the lentil family.
The Khaki Kook Book
Mary Kennedy Core
Theresa, who had gone to bed, sent her a plate of lentil soup.
The Goose Man
Jacob Wassermann

British Dictionary definitions for lentil

lentil

noun

a small annual leguminous plant, Lens culinaris, of the Mediterranean region and W Asia, having edible brownish convex seeds
any of the seeds of this plant, which are cooked and eaten as a vegetable, in soups, etc

Word Origin for lentil

C13: from Old French lentille, from Latin lenticula, diminutive of lēns lentil

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for lentil

mid-13c., from Old French lentille "lentil," also "freckle," from Latin lenticula, diminutive of Latin lens (genitive lentis) "lentil," cognate with Greek lathyros, German linse, Old Church Slavonic lęšta.