lentil

American  

[len-til, -tl] / ˈlɛn tɪl, -tl /

noun

• lentils
  plural

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

2. the seed itself.

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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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• lentils
  plural

Etymology

Origin of lentil

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lentil lentils

Dishes include a lentil soup that she sells to-go in 1-liter jars.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026

The spread often included lamb, chicken, rice and his famous lentil soup.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026

"Lenteja tipo Lanzarote," or Lanzarote lentil, is a popular label for lentils sold in Spanish shops.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 26, 2025

Initially, it took her four-five hours to make 1kg of dried lentil papad, but she says she can now produce that amount in just half an hour.

From BBC ● Jan. 2, 2025

Reverend Holman said, “Praise the Lord!” after Mom served the lentil soup and the coleslaw, which reminded them of home, and the stuffed grape leaves and the hot bread.

From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye

“It’s traditionally done with rice and beans, but this one I do with lentils and red quinoa, which those two by themselves are powerfully protein and fiber packed,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026

For vegetarians, you can get your protein from lentils, nuts, milk, tofu and cheese too.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

As a rough guide, fill a quarter of your plate with protein foods, such as meat, fish, beans, lentils or chickpeas, at every meal.

From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026

Dry roast the lentils in a pan over medium heat until they turn golden-yellow and smell nutty and toasty.

From Salon ● Jun. 7, 2026

I could only steal glances at Mr. Pirzada, sitting beside me in his olive green jacket, calmly creating a well in his rice to make room for a second helping of lentils.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri