What does "lens" mean?
An object, usually made of glass, that focuses or defocuses the light that passes through it.
Lens
/lɛnz/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An object, usually made of glass, that focuses or defocuses the light that passes through it.
- Grammar: lens is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: crystalline lens, analytic framework, baby blues, banjo eyes.
- Usage evidence: Through the lens the image was inverted.
How to use "lens"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "lens" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "lens" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "lens" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "lens" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "lens" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "crystalline lens" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "lens", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An object, usually made of glass, that focuses or defocuses the light that passes through it.
"Not long ago, it was difficult to produce photographs of tiny creatures with every part in focus. That’s because the lenses that are excellent at magnifying tiny subjects produce a narrow depth of field."
- 2 a transparent optical device used to converge or diverge transmitted light and to form images wordnet
- 3 A device which focuses or defocuses electron beams.
- 4 electronic equipment that uses a magnetic or electric field in order to focus a beam of electrons wordnet
- 5 A convex shape bounded by two circular arcs, joined at their endpoints, the corresponding concave shape being a lune.
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 biconvex transparent body situated behind the iris in the eye; its role (along with the cornea) is to focus light on the retina wordnet
- 7 A genus of the legume family; its bean.
- 8 (metaphor) a channel through which something can be seen or understood wordnet
- 9 The transparent crystalline structure in the eye.
"The single-imaging optic of the mammalian eye offers some distinct visual advantages. Such lenses can take in photons from a wide range of angles, increasing light sensitivity. They also have high spatial resolution, resolving incoming images in minute detail."
- 10 A body of rock, ice, or water shaped like a convex lens.
- 11 A construct used in statically-typed functional programming languages to access nested data structures.
- 12 A way of looking, literally or figuratively, at something. broadly, figuratively
"If "the public looks at the condition of America's children largely through a negative lens," worries Child Trends[…], "it may be more difficult to […] promote child well-being.""
Verb
- 1 To film, shoot. transitive
"It’s set in an anonymous, upper-middle-class suburb, lensed in the generic gunmetal gray that will one day appear as dated as the fuzzy outlines of ’80s direct-to-video horror movies."
- 2 To become thinner towards the edges.
Proper Noun
- 1 A municipality in Hainaut, Belgium.
- 2 A commune in Pas-de-Calais department, Hauts-de-France, France.
- 3 A municipality in Valais canton, Switzerland.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Through the lens the image was inverted."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "lens"?
Common synonyms include: crystalline lens, analytic framework, baby blues, banjo eyes, bright eyes, camera.
How do you use "lens" in a sentence?
Through the lens the image was inverted.
How do you pronounce "lens"?
Pronounced /lɛnz/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin lēns (“lentil”), with Medieval Latin later taking on the sense of “lens”, a semantic loan from Arabic عَدْسَة (ʕadsa, “lentil; optic lens”).