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"Lentil-shaped"—that's the meaning of Latin lenticularis, the parent of English's lenticular. It's an appropriate predecessor because a double-convex lens is one that is curved on both sides, giving it a shape similar to that of a lentil. English speakers borrowed the Latin term in the 15th century. Lenticularis, in turn, derives from lenticula, which is the source of the English word lentil and a diminutive of the Latin form lent-, lens, meaning "lentil." You probably won't be too surprised to learn that lent-, lens also gave English the word lens.

Examples of lenticular in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Visitors to the art exhibit will experience a mix of holograms, 3D prints, lenticular characters and an illusion made by colored lights. — Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 21 July 2021 To learn more about altocumulus standing lenticular clouds, visit the NWS page here. — Jessica Flores, San Francisco Chronicle, 25 May 2021 As Cappucci explains, lenticular clouds are common around mountains that force incoming air to rise. — Theresa Machemer, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Feb. 2020 Which, perhaps, is why residents of Siskiyou County, Calif., wanted to believe a lenticular cloud hovering near Mt. Shasta on February 12 was an unidentified flying object. — Fox News, 26 Feb. 2020 Your Instagram photo of the day Like pancakes: Patagonia is known for its strong winds and beautiful lenticular clouds. — National Geographic, 21 Jan. 2020 This works because the plastic coating consists of a series of stripes, creating what are called lenticular lenses. — Chris Lee, Ars Technica, 25 Oct. 2019 In the years since Edward Kienholz’s death in 1994, Nancy Kienholz has created her own assemblages and lenticular art, in which one subject morphs into another in three stages. — Richard Sandomir, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Aug. 2019 Galaxies that are not spiral, lenticular, or elliptical are called irregular galaxies. — National Geographic, 17 Apr. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lenticular.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.