lentil

[ len-til, -tl ]

/ ˈlɛn tɪl, -tl /

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Definition of lentil

noun

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

the seed itself.

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Origin of lentil

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

Words nearby lentil

lentiform nucleus, lentiginosis, lentiginous, lentiglobus, lentigo, lentil, lentil cut, lentisk, lentissimo, lentivirus, lent lily

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use lentil in a sentence

“Liked the lentils … old-school graphics,” Ace Copy Editor Doug Norwood told me charitably about the reverse-crossword grid in Style Invitational Week 1446.
Style Conversational Week 1446: Lentils entertain you|Pat Myers|July 22, 2021|Washington Post
I started learning to cook right out of college, when I lived in a group house with other young people who were always semi-broke, so we ate a lot of beans, lentils, rice, potatoes, and noodles.
Why I Sent Myself to Vegetarian Boot Camp|mturner|July 15, 2021|Outside Online
It’s giving me plenty of motivation to finally work through the once-toddler-size bag of lentils in my cupboard.
Sick of Those Panic-Bought Beans? Try Sprouting Them|Aliza Abarbanel|April 15, 2021|Eater
James Park, Eater social media managerTo be honest, I’ve never been a huge fan of lentil soup.
Everything Eater Editors Have Cooked in 2021|Eater Staff|March 26, 2021|Eater

James Park, Eater social media managerTo be honest I’ve never been a huge fan of lentil soup.
Six Recipes That Got Us Through Another Week|Eater Staff|March 19, 2021|Eater
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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
The radio was blurting either soap operas, hill-billy music, or lentil-mouthed commentators.
Cue for Quiet|Thomas L. Sherred
What are then the objections to the point as illustrated in bean, coffee-berry, seed, and wooden lentil?
Froebel's Gifts|Kate Douglas Wiggin
Within the cups lentil-shaped bodies are attached to the base and sides by elastic cords.
Fungi: Their Nature and Uses|Mordecai Cubitt Cooke
Some of these vesicles were the size of a lentil, and others as small as a millet-seed.
Buffon's Natural History, Volume III (of 10)|Georges Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon
At some distance from this glandular body there was a small one of the same kind, about the size of a lentil.
Buffon's Natural History, Volume III (of 10)|Georges Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon

British Dictionary definitions for lentil

lentil

/ (ˈlɛntɪl) /

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