magnifying glass

American  

noun

magnifying glasses plural

1. a lens that produces an enlarged image of an object.

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magnifying glass British  

noun

1. a convex lens used to produce an enlarged image of an object

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• magnifying glasses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of magnifying glass

First recorded in 1655–65

Example Sentences

Ternus was on the road at the supplier’s facility, and sometime after midnight he pulled out a magnifying glass to count the circles, finding that the supplier had gotten it wrong, putting in 35 grooves.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

Do you really think that foreign governments are at this point, with a magnifying glass, looking at our markets and thinking something might be about to happen?

From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026

One of the pieces featured a ladder with a magnifying glass at the top.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 6, 2025

The paper was covered in flow charts, arrows and text so minuscule you almost needed a magnifying glass to read it.

From Salon • Sep. 9, 2025

She took the three hoarded office telephone books out of some recess in her desk and, studying the pages with a magnifying glass, gave them a number.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole