Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
lenient
Lenin Peak
Leninakhan
Leningrad
Leninism
lenis
lenition
leno
lens
lensing
Lent
lent
lent lily
Lenten
lentic
lenticel
lenticular
Click to move down the list of words
Print Preview
See pronunciation key
Search for "lens" in all of MSN Encarta
E-mail this entry
Blog about this entry on MSN Spaces
Download the MSN Encarta Right-Click Dictionary

lens

lens [ lenz ]


noun  (plural lens·es)
Definition:
 
1. optics transparent piece of glass for focusing: a piece of curved and polished glass or other transparent material that forms an image by refracting and focusing light passing through it

2. optics system of lenses: a system of two or more lenses that is used in an optical instrument such as a telescope or camera

3. ophthalmology 
Same as  contact lens


4. anatomy light-focusing part of eye: the part of the eye that focuses light to produce an image on the light-sensitive cells of the retina. It is nearly spherical and convex on both sides, and sits behind the pupil.
Technical name  crystalline lens


5. physics beam-focusing device: a device that focuses a beam of electrons or radiation other than light



transitive verb  (past and past participle lensed, present participle lens·ing, 3rd person present singular lens·es)
Definition:
 
movies film something: to record a motion picture on film

[Late 17th century. < Latin, "lentil"; from its shape]
Advertisement

Also on Encarta
Englishtown: Learn English online
Our Partners
Also on MSN
Encarta Message Boards (© Rubberball/Jupiterimages)
Shopping
© 2009 Microsoft