a plant, Lens culinaris, of the legume family, having flattened, biconvex seeds used as food.
2.
the seed itself.
Origin
1200-50;Middle English < Old Frenchlentille < Vulgar Latin*lentīcula for Latinlenticula. See lenticle
Examples from the web for lentil
Most had scattered some cotton or lentil seed after the rain.
As soon as he landed, he hightailed it over and decided he should make a lentil soup.
We make lentil size pellets out of them and then they are used to make other products.
Fun items on offer include fried lentil donuts and crispy vegetable samosas.
Use lentil or sunflower sprouts, which have a peppery flavor, in this well-textured salad.
Evidence for environmental induction of the slashed-pod trait in lentil.
Application of biotechnology in breeding lentil for resistance to biotic and abiotic stress.
British Dictionary definitions for lentil
lentil
/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
Word Origin
C13: from Old French lentille, from Latin lenticula, diminutive of lēns lentil
Word Origin and History for lentil
n.
mid-13c., from Old French lentille "lentil," also "freckle," from Latin lenticula, diminutive of Latin lens (genitive lentis) "lentil," cognate with Greek lathyros, German linse, Old Church Slavonic lęšta.