Definition of LENTICULAR

Did You Know?

Lentil-shaped-that's the meaning of lenticularis, the Latin word that gave us 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, adapting it to lenticular, 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

Otherworldly looking lenticular clouds resemble stacks of giant disks rising in the sky. — Catherine Zuckerman, National Geographic, "Clouds, explained," 24 Apr. 2019 Nieto’s wry and playful lenticular photos and installation pieces examine the mystical power of childhood beliefs, find links between faith and magical thinking, and blend pop culture and religious ritual. — Cate Mcquaid, BostonGlobe.com, "Meet six talented art-school grads," 27 Apr. 2018 Spaceship clouds: Large, oval lenticular clouds that look like spaceships form over mountain peaks, indicating high wind on ridges in the moment, and often snow in two days. — Tom Stienstra, San Francisco Chronicle, "Nature’s fortune-tellers predicted wild weather for Memorial Day weekend," 28 May 2018 Jannard told me that there is a special layer underneath the LCD display which, when enabled, is able to direct light in multiple directions instead of the standard two that happen with lenticular displays. — Dieter Bohn, The Verge, "Hands-on with the RED Hydrogen One, a wildly ambitious smartphone," 20 May 2018 To the southwest, a huge spaceship-like lenticular cloud loomed over the Trinity Divide. — Tom Stienstra, San Francisco Chronicle, "Joining the ‘5 Percent Club’ at Mount Shasta," 22 Feb. 2018 Remember, lenticular clouds almost exclusively are near large mountain ranges, where gravity waves result from air rushing up and over steep terrain. — Kathryn Prociv, Washington Post, "Pic of the week: Asperitas clouds over the Alps resemble a Van Gogh masterpiece," 3 Nov. 2017 If the air temperature cools enough to condense the water vapor in it, a lenticular cloud may appear. — Kathryn Prociv, Washington Post, "Pic of the week: Red sky in the morning is a sailor’s warning," 20 Oct. 2017 Typically, pieces of wood that have been cut to resemble ax blades now serve as flat supports for everything from actual antique watches and keys to lenticular images of planets and stars. — Mike Guiliano, Columbia Flier, "Artists who really fill the galleries at HCC," 8 Sep. 2017

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.