lentil

Meaning

Noun

• Any of several plants of the genus Lens, especially Lens culinaris, from southwest Asia, that have edible, lens-shaped seeds within flattened pods.
• The seed of these plants, used as food.

Origin

• From Middle English lentile, from Old French lentille from Latin lenticula, diminutive of lēns, from a pre-Indo-European source shared by German Linse, Ancient Greek λάθυρος and Lithuanian lęšis. lenticula.