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

For the first nine days, it is simple and largely vegetarian - sweet flatbread, lentils and potato curry among the staples.

From BBC

Soups that might have leaned on cream — lentil, potato, corn — turned velvety when I blended half the pot and stirred it back in.

From Salon

For over a month, they survived on "tiny sips of water" and "a little lentils".

From Barron's

“We start at the farm with clean and simple, non-GMO ingredients like yellow peas, red lentils and faba beans,” the post read.

From Los Angeles Times

However, the body makes its own collagen from the amino acids found in dietary protein and so protein from sources such as beans and lentils can provide the amino acids needed for collagen production.

From BBC